The European first legs were embarrassing for English teams, as only Manchester City managed to record a win. Read More

Five past Barcelona greats to rival ‘MSN’

Messi, Suarez and Neymar – or ‘MSN’ as they are frequently labelled – are no doubt three of the most talented footballers you will ever see. Read More

Lionel Messi is breaking records left and right in the Spanish league

Messi, Suarez and Neymar – or ‘MSN’ as they are frequently labelled – are no doubt three of the most talented footballers you will ever see. Read More

3 minute read
18/10/2017 | 09:26amAccording to reports in The Mirror, Southampton have opened talks with Barcelona over a January move for striker Paco Alcacer, but they could face competition from French side Lille for his signature.What’s the word, then?Well, The Mirror says that Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino is desperate to bolster his attack after his team have scored just seven goals – three of which came from the penalty spot – in their nine matches in all competitions this season.Nine points from seven Premier League games has certainly put the Argentine under pressure considering the favourable fixtures the south coast outfit had on paper, and he is keen to bring the out-of-favour Alcacer to St Mary’s in the New Year.However, The Mirror says that the 24-year-old is not yet sold on the potential move, which has prompted interest from Lille.How has Alcacer done this season?He has pretty much been frozen out by Barca boss Ernesto Valverde since starting the first La Liga match of the season against Real Betis in August.He has played just 33 minutes of football in all competitions from that opening day appearance and he hasn’t even made the Catalan giants’ matchday squad in three of their last four league games.It looks certain that the Spain international will be leaving the Camp Nou in January, but it remains to be seen whether he would be willing to join Southampton.Why wouldn’t he want to join?The fact that the 2018 World Cup is just around the corner could well be a factor, as the 24-year-old would know that it would be a huge risk to move to a new country when he is looking to find the form that may see him named in Spain’s squad for the finals.That said, he must also consider that he needs to be playing on a regular basis and moving to a Southampton side that is struggling for goals should mean that he does that, and he would subsequently have more chance of finding some form – just as Manolo Gabbiadini did when he first joined the south coast outfit at the start of this year.What’s the verdict?While Saints will hope that they can get a deal over the line for Alcacer in the New Year following his previous form for Valencia, it seems they have a lot of work to do to convince the player that it will be the best move for his career right now.

1 minute read
18/10/2017 | 08:30amChristian Eriksen has become one of Tottenham Hotspur’s key players, but on a night when top talent had to shine, the midfielder was stuck in the shadows.The Denmark international started against Real Madrid in Tuesday night’s Champions League group match at the Bernabeu.Mauricio Pochettino’s men headed into the fixture as underdogs, but they held their own in the Spanish capital.At times, the North London outfit were severely under pressure, but some goalkeeping heroics from Hugo Lloris kept them in the game.Harry Kane, who scored 11 goals in all competitions for Spurs in September, forced open the deadlock, but the ball came off Madrid’s Raphael Varane.Cristiano Ronaldo levelled up the scoreline to 1-1 by converting from the penalty spot after Serge Aurier brought down Toni Kroos in the box.Tottenham managed to hold on for a point, which delighted the fans, but there was one man that the supporters felt was lacklustre on the pitch.My only slight disappointment was Eriksen, expected more. Winks, Sanchez are legends in the making #coys— Dave (@davelinx1) October 17, 2017Eriksen, had to happen eventually but he had a stinker. Slow in possession, chose the wrong pass too often & never looked on it #THFC #COYS— Cheeseroom FC 🧀⚽️ (@JMEmabbz) October 17, 2017But what happened to Eriksen? Very very silent and anonymous. Was tightly marked though… #coys— Kjetil Ermesjø (@KjetilErmesjo) October 17, 2017I know some think we should have won but we didn't show enough in the final third. Eriksen and Llorente were lacking tbh #COYS— Harry C (@HazSpur92) October 17, 2017Truth is, if Eriksen had of had his normal 9 out 10 performance tonight, we quite possibly might have won! #thfc #coys— Matt (@Spurs2380) October 17, 2017Thoughts on Eriksen? Just didn’t think he played as well as the Eriksen we all know and love? #COYS https://t.co/PaLkp0UcJK— SERGE AURIER (@LukeGriffiths4_) October 17, 2017Without being over critical I thought Eriksen's passing and decision making was below parNow is not the time for negatives though#COYS— Dan Tracey (@dantracey1983) October 17, 2017Great team performance apart from eriksen #COYS— Lou (@VickeryLou) October 17, 2017Eriksen needs to hang a picture of Winks on his wall after tonight #COYS #THFC— Sebastian (@Sebastian__4) October 17, 2017Eriksen absolute pony but 10 other brilliant performances. Looked like we belonged there! #COYS 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼— 👉🏼Steve👈🏼 (@paynotron) October 17, 2017How was it that Sissoko played better than Eriksen tonight? #COYS— Syafiq Ab Ⓜ (@SyafiqAb) October 17, 2017

1 minute read
18/10/2017 | 07:00amTottenham Hotspur faced the daunting task of taking on Real Madrid in Tuesday night’s Champions League group match, but they managed to come away with a point.For a relatively inexperienced player these matches do not come much bigger, but Harry Winks looked as though he was unfazed by the occasion.The 21-year-old, who recently made his England senior debut, had started just four games in all competitions for Spurs before Tuesday night, but manager Mauricio Pochettino included the midfielder in the starting lineup against Madrid at the Bernabeu.Despite the calibre of opposition he was facing – Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos to name a few – Winks looked hungry on the ball.After an own goal from Raphael Varane, Madrid levelled up through Ronaldo, who netted from the penalty spot, but Spurs were able to keep Los Blancos at bay and leave with a 1-1 draw.Fans watching the game were very quick to praise Winks, who has come through the academy ranks at Tottenham.Harry Winks single handily out played the Madrid trio of Casemerio, Modric and Kroos. What a player @HarryWinks is! 💫 #COYS #UCL— Harry Hotspur (@HarryHotspurWHL) October 17, 2017Harry Winks just went to Real Madrid and showed everyone just why he was picked for England. The boy will be a superstar! #COYS #THFC— Gary Ford (@Spursfordie) October 17, 2017Harry Winks is different gravy 🙊#COYS #THFC— Jack (@MrJSPoll) October 17, 2017Harry Winks was majestic tonight #Coys— Mike Dixon (@ParkLaneDicko) October 17, 2017Harry Winks 🙌💙 #COYS— rohana little (@RohanaMaeLittle) October 17, 2017Winks, started slow but once he got his feet under the table he was remarkable given the opposition. What a future he has #THFC #COYS— Cheeseroom FC 🧀⚽️ (@JMEmabbz) October 17, 2017Still can’t get over how confident and comfortable Harry Winks looked on the ball tonight! Honestly made Modric look semi decent 😂 #COYS— SERGE AURIER (@LukeGriffiths4_) October 17, 2017Harry Winks 94% passing accuracy against the European Champions!! Amazing performance, another #OneOfOurOwn #thfc #coys— Matt (@Spurs2380) October 17, 2017

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11/12/2017 | 01:00pmWith all five English teams progressing into the knockout rounds of the Champions League, a couple were bound to be handed difficult ties.Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were dealt the toughest draws, with the Blues taking on Barcelona and Mauricio Pochettino’s men going head to head with Juventus in the last-16 stage.After Antonio Conte’s men were stunned in a 1-0 defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday, the team would have been hoping for better news today.It was not to be, though, as Chelsea learned that they will have to get through th five-time European champions in order to reach the quarter-finals of the competition.It is not all doom and gloom, though, as the West London outfit can draw on their semi-final win over Barcelona in the 2011-12 season.Chelsea went on to lift the crown that season under manager Roberto Di Matteo.After the draw was announced, fans took to Twitter with their reactions, which were a mix of confidence and dread.easy 10-0 win— Nishant Ramesh (@nishantramesh37) December 11, 2017Let’s go then boys. pic.twitter.com/ZVojeYCUMf— BK (@CFCBrano) December 11, 2017It's been a good run lads time to say goodbye— R (@Legedenary) December 11, 2017Lord help us— ㅤㅤㅤ‏ً (@RightCentreHalf) December 11, 2017Now let's Go Get Them!!!!!!!!!— Avson (@avson999) December 11, 2017we're out. pic.twitter.com/YB5LZTE5vi— HUMOURn ReSauce (@Awesome_Neythan) December 11, 2017Knew that was gonna happen! We beat them before so why not now? Come on the Chels!!— Jem Haynes (@jemhaynes) December 11, 2017If we play the cards right it's not impossible to beat Barca!— 🤶ŞΔŇĐ¥🎅 (@QueenSandy_CFC) December 11, 2017

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18/10/2017 | 12:01amIf there was any doubt about Hugo Lloris’s ability as a goalkeeper, then there certainly will not be now after the Tottenham Hotspur star put on a stellar display against Real Madrid.As expected, Mauricio Pochettino’s team were under the cosh at times during their Champions League group match at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night.Zinedine Zidane’s side are reigning champions for a reason, and they knocked on the door many times during the encounter in Spain.However, it was Spurs who went in front thanks to some skill from Harry Kane, who forced an own goal from Raphael Varane just before the half-hour mark.Madrid continued to unleash waves of pressure, though, and it eventually paid off when Serge Aurier’s clumsy challenge on Toni Kroos in the box resulted in a penalty, which was converted by Cristiano Ronaldo.The hosts had numerous chances to win the game and they may have done so by a significant margin had it not been for Lloris, who made a handful of saves to keep Spurs in the game.One stop in particular will be embedded into the memory of Tottenham fans, and it came in the second half when Lloris denied Karim Benzema a header from close range.The Premier League club will return to England with an impressive point, and they have their goalkeeper to thank for it.Hugo #lloris saving all the shots you'll ever take. #coys pic.twitter.com/m6WIqEyv8i— Paul Davies (@PaulJDavies) October 17, 2017As I said earlier on in the season. One of the best in the WORLD!! #Lloris #COYS https://t.co/rtltnMYcqU— Zeus #COYS (@superspurs34) October 17, 2017That save by Lloris from Benzema. Wow. Best I’ve seen at Spurs in the last 30 years #coys— Jay1882 (@Jay_1882) October 17, 2017Lloris never leave my club. #COYS— SB (@SarcasticShubh) October 17, 2017Lloris was on absolute 🔥🔥 tonight! He kept us in that game, plenty of missed chances though, could have won that about 3-1 #COYS— Elliott (@E_Connelly94) October 17, 2017Hugo Lloris is my favourite human alive right now. How did he save that header, I think I’m in love 😻❤️ #THFC #RMATOT #COYS— G.Wilka (@george72573717) October 17, 2017…and our captain, Hugo Lloris. Sensational saves all night long. 😍 @SpursOfficial #COYS— Michaela ⚓️ (@MB2314) October 17, 2017@SpursOfficial's Hugo Lloris doesnt get much credit. Absolutely fabulous tonight, with 4 key saves at the #Bernabeu. Love my Club. #COYS— Ray Verma (@rayverma) October 17, 2017Lloris has had an unbelievable game tonight #COYS— Joe Sutton (@Suttbags) October 17, 2017I thought Lloris was maybe past his best. I’m an idiot and Hugo is my hero. #COYS— Richard Joyce (@R_J_Joyce) October 17, 2017

1 minute read
11/12/2017 | 01:20pmManchester United have received some positive news following Sunday’s defeat to neighbours Manchester City in the Premier League.Jose Mourinho’s side avoided a horror tie in the Champions League last-16 draw, which will see all five English teams competing.United will take on Sevilla across two legs in the hope of reaching the quarter-finals of the elite competition.The North-West outfit have not played in the Champions League since the 2015-16 season, in which they failed to progress from the group stage.United were unable to claim a top-four finish in the 2016-17 league campaign, but winning the Europa League ensured their place this season.The last-16 tie will mark the first time that the two clubs have played against one another competitively.United’s arch rivals Liverpool are familiar with Sevilla having faced them twice in the group stage and drawing both games.Following the announcement of the draw, fans tweeted their reaction, which was by and large full of confidence.We win already, but ur players should be aggressive!!!#MCFC— Wasswa Emmanuel (@WasswaEmmanue14) December 11, 2017Qualified— Sunny Saharan (@Sunnysaharan111) December 11, 2017Easy win.— REGGIE 💎 (@ReggieUtd8) December 11, 2017Happy with that ⚽️🔴⚪️⚫️— Nathan Jones (@nkjones93) December 11, 2017Good team, but Im expecting a win— Zenzo Nkosi (@ZenzoNkosi) December 11, 2017Straight to the quarters! But we need to do something bout our forwards.— Nelson Mugo (@NelMugo) December 11, 2017Easy way to pass through last 8 @ManUtd— Mlungisi Mbhele (@maloada) December 11, 2017We are through to the quarter finals already— Hlalanathi Makenisi (@HMakenisi) December 11, 2017

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17/10/2017 | 06:56pmPrior to this evening, Fernando Llorente had made just one start for Tottenham Hotspur, and that was in a Carabao Cup match.Tonight, the Spaniard finds himself in the starting XI for Spurs’ huge Champions League group match against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.Manager Mauricio Pochettino has made a surprise call by including Llorente in the lineup alongside Harry Kane up front.The forward has made three Premier League appearances and two in Europe so far this season, but in none of those outings was he included in the first XI.Meanwhile, Danny Rose, who has been out of action for the past nine months with a knee injury, has made it onto the substitutes bench, but there is no place for Moussa Dembele.￼#THFC: Lloris (C), Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Aurier, Sissoko, Dier, Winks, Eriksen, Kane, Llorente. #COYS pic.twitter.com/tORTEicas0— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 17, 2017The main talking point from the fans, though, is Llorente’s inclusion, with many surprised that Pochettino has opted to start the striker in a game of this magnitude.The 32-year-old does have experience playing against Madrid having had spells at Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla.Kane and Llorente in the same team. I mean, don't try these things at home to Bournemouth…but nah we will try it against Real Madrid #coys https://t.co/ODF4tqdgkH— Ollie Olly Oli (@OllieClaco1882) October 17, 2017Woah, didn’t see Kane and Llorente coming. Llorente as the out ball to no doubt hold play up. #COYS #THFC https://t.co/N98Sdn61Hf— ♕ (@thfc_lennkerk) October 17, 2017Interesting selection. Didn’t expect to see Winks or Llorente start. #COYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— Stefan Blois (@BloisStefan) October 17, 2017Strange team, would have Son instead of Llorente & an actual LB but other than that 0-4 win in the bag!!! #RMATOT #COYS— CMJ Flaners (@HeelFlaners) October 17, 2017Llorente is in this match to hold onto the ball, could be key factor #THFC #COYS— RuckerHaringey (@RuckerHaringey) October 17, 2017Kane-Llorente #tasty #COYS— FMC (@fm_carv) October 17, 2017Fernando Llorente starts for Tottenham tonight. #THFC #COYS #UCL pic.twitter.com/q0cUWwLIZu— Marc Benamram (@MarcBenamram) October 17, 2017Very interesting from Poch. I guess Llorente brings Spanish experience. Kane free to roam. Aurier & Sissoko bromancing. Big task ahead #COYS— el wehbi (@ibleedhotspur) October 17, 2017Kane and Llorente up front for #THFC tonight just goes to show that Poch believes Madrid can be beaten tonight. Huge decision. #COYS— Jordan Pomeroy (@EastTerrace00) October 17, 2017

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30/10/2017 | 10:30amTottenham Hotspur were flying high after comfortably defeating Liverpool 4-1 at Wembley just over a week ago.Mauricio Pochettino’s men were unbeaten in seven Premier League matches heading into Saturday’s clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.However, during the build up they suffered a big blow when Harry Kane was struck down with a hamstring injury.The prolific striker, who has scored 13 goals in all competitions so far this season, was left out of the squad and as a result, the team struggled in the final third.In the end, United earned a 1-0 victory, with substitute Anthony Martial scoring the winner in the 81st minute.Next up for the North London outfit is a crucial Champions League encounter with Real Madrid at Wembley.Pochettino’s men earned a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu, keeping them on level terms with Zinedine Zidane’s side in the group.Despite the disappointment of the result at Old Trafford, the fans are now switching their focus to Wednesday’s showdown.# COYSLets beat Madrid this wednesday.— Benjamin Mensah (@Gospel_Brand) October 29, 2017Wednesday will be great— huni phil farai (@PhilHuni) October 30, 2017go, Spurs!— Thomas E. C. Barclay (@tecbarclay) October 30, 2017I will support you from here in Brazil. Spurs o /— Douglas Clouser (@douglasclouser) October 30, 2017And I'll be there COYS— nigel french (@FrenchNigel) October 29, 2017Very unlucky yesterday. Huge game on Wednesday and the opportunity to qualify for the #UCL last 16! Still proud of the effort #COYS— Daniel Woodley (@dwoodley1990) October 29, 2017Still mad but COYS 💙— ♚ Suzy (@SuzyLilywhite) October 29, 2017good luck boys— Yaslam (@yaslam_222) October 29, 2017#victory all the way— Usman Hassan (@UsmanHa59329797) October 29, 2017Always on yr side…..we always support you. 👍👍👍— Derrick (@Derricksimos) October 30, 2017

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30/10/2017 | 01:20pmTottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that Harry Kane could miss Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid, reports The Mirror.What’s wrong?A hamstring injury kept the 24-year-old out of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United, and it seems that the striker may struggle to be fit in time for the visit of Madrid.No timeline of recovery has been offered and Kane has not been ruled out of the match entirely, but Pochettino is being cautious.The Mirror quotes the Argentine as saying:“With the doctors and the player, we will take the best decision for everyone. It’s not the last game or the final where you would say: ‘ok, after that it’s holidays.’“We must analyse and take the best decision for everyone. We will assess him and then we will make the best decision. My feeling is good. But it’s not my feeling, it’s Harry Kane’s feeling.”The player himself if believed to be keen to get back on the pitch for the crucial European encounter, which ended in 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at the Bernabeu.Can Tottenham cope without him?Spurs are certainly not a one-man team, but Kane’s absence was felt against United at Old Trafford.The visiting team put in a good shift in defence, but that crucial touch was missing in the final third, with Son Heung-min and Dele Alli failing to find the breakthrough.Kane offers a huge threat up front, but without him against a team of Madrid’s calibre, Tottenham may need to change their tactics.Fernando Llorente is next in line, but with all due respect, the Spaniard is not on the same level as his teammate.Everyone connected with Tottenham will be praying that Kane is passed fit for the Wembley showdown.

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11/11/2017 | 09:45amAccording to the Daily Mail, Liverpool attacker Philippe Coutinho is not interested in joining Paris Saint-Germain as he holds out for a move to Barcelona.What’s the story?If it were up to Coutinho, the Brazil international would be a Barcelona player as things stand. It is as simple as that.The Spanish giants were strongly linked with the 25-year-old during the summer, and it is thought that Coutinho handed in a transfer request at Liverpool in a bid to force a move.The Reds were not prepared to play ball, however, and rejected at least one bid in excess of £100m for the former Inter Milan youngster.It is understood that Barcelona are still interested in signing Coutinho, but PSG are now believed to be in the hunt as the Ligue 1 leaders look to splash the cash once again.That said, according to the Daily Mail, Coutinho, who is valued at £58.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is simply not interested in moving to Paris as he holds out for his dream move to Barcelona.Will Coutinho leave Anfield in January?It is a tough question. The fact that Liverpool refused to sell during the summer means that it is difficult to imagine Coutinho leaving in the middle of the campaign.It would have been easy for Coutinho to sulk at Liverpool this season, but in fairness to the attacker, he has performed pretty well – scoring four times and providing three assists in nine appearances in all competitions.According to the Daily Mail, Barcelona will make a £106m bid for Coutinho in the January transfer window, and if that does occur, Liverpool will surely have to accept.There is a reason why so few major deals occur during the winter transfer window, however, which means that both parties might have to wait until next summer.PSG are clearly interested in signing Coutinho, but it seems that the Brazilian only wants to leave Liverpool to seal a dream move to Barcelona.

3 minute read
12/12/2017 | 03:43pmAccording to reports in Spanish media outlet Diario Gol, Manchester United only face competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, but his €90m (approximately £79.2m right now) price tag could prove to be an issue.What’s the word, then?Well, Diario Gol says that Real are willing to let the injury-hit attacker – who has missed 250 days since joining the La Liga giants in 2013 – leave the Bernabeu, but he will only leave for one of Europe’s biggest clubs and not many of those are willing to pay the money that president Florentino Perez wants for the Wales international.Diario Gol says that Perez wants to €90m (approximately £79.2m) to let the 28-year-old leave, but no one is willing to pay that fee.The report adds that the only two clubs willing to make offers below that amount are the Red Devils and Spurs, with the former not willing to negotiate until the price is reduced and the latter only willing to pay €60m (approximately £52.8m right now).How has Bale done this season?The Welshman’s injury problems have meant that he has been limited to just 10 outings so far this term, in which he has scored three goals and provided a further five assists.The 29-year-old has already suffered from calf and thigh problems during the current campaign, and despite playing 28 minutes as a substitute and picking up two assists against Fuenlabrada in the cup last month, he suffered recurrence of the calf issue which has kept him on the sidelines since.Would he be a good signing for United?He certainly would be, as long as he was fit on a regular basis.Given his injury record it is no wonder that they aren’t willing to pay around £80m for Bale’s services, but Jose Mourinho will also be well aware of the difference he could make for them in the final third because of his versatility and quality.The Wales international’s pace, dribbling ability, strength in the air and all-round goal threat would make him a superb addition, but United will be hoping Real lower their demands either during the January transfer window or next summer to make a deal possible.

3 minute read
11/11/2017 | 10:33amAccording to AS, Atletico Madrid are closely monitoring Ander Herrera’s contract developments at Manchester United.What’s the story?Herrera picked up the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award last season after impressing during a campaign that saw him make 50 appearances in all competitions.It had been claimed that the Spaniard could become United’s new captain following Wayne Rooney’s departure, but that honour was ultimately given to Michael Carrick.Herrera, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has played plenty of football in recent weeks, but he struggled for action in the early stages of the campaign when Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini were both available.Nemanja Matic and Pogba were Jose Mourinho’s first picks in central midfield in the early weeks, with Fellaini next in line. That left Herrera well down the pecking order as he went from key man to a player that was struggling for football.Incredibly, Herrera’s contract at United will expire next summer, and according to AS, Atletico are closely monitoring developments at Old Trafford as the La Liga giants consider poaching the Spaniard on a free transfer.Surely he could not leave on a free?As it stands, Herrera would be able to enter into a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club when the January transfer window opens for business, which is incredible for a player that is just 28, and has a whole host of experience at the highest level.It is thought that contract talks are underway, but Herrera would surely want guarantees over his future at Old Trafford before signing a new deal.When Mourinho has a fully-fit squad, Herrera does not make the first XI. That places the midfielder in a difficult situation at this stage of his career.Atletico are currently banned from registering new players, but that situation changes at the start of 2018, and having already tied up a deal for Diego Costa, Herrera could be the next Premier League player to make the move to Madrid.It is three years since Herrera left his homeland for United, and despite being a favourite of the club’s supporters, his future at the club is extremely uncertain.

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13/12/2017 | 12:06pmPaul Pogba has confirmed that he rejected the chance to join Real Madrid in favour of returning to Manchester United in the summer of 2016.Pogba sealed a return to United ahead of the 2016-17 campaign after the Red Devils paid Juventus £89m for his services.The midfielder initially left Old Trafford in 2012 after becoming frustrated with his lack of opportunities under Sir Alex Ferguson. After a successful spell at Juventus, Pogba re-joined the 20-time English champions.Pogba, who is valued at £67.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has revealed that Real Madrid also wanted to sign him during the same summer, but the Frenchman was set on a return to United.Pogba told Beyond the Pitch:“To be honest, Real Madrid came to me and I was thinking to go there, and I was thinking to go to Manchester United too.“But I always felt it in my heart. My heart told me to come back here [Manchester], I don’t know why, I didn’t know what was going to happen. But I did it, and I don’t regret. I never regret my choice.”Pogba scored nine times in 51 appearances for United last season as the Red Devils landed the Community Shield, League Cup and Europa League.The France international has also been in impressive form during the 2017-18 campaign, although he is currently on the sidelines through suspension.

2 minute read
13/12/2017 | 07:00pmBarcelona superstar Lionel Messi has learned that Real Madrid are likely to sign Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard, according to Don Balon.What’s the word?When most top players in the Premier League are performing well, they tend to be linked with moves to Europe’s elite.Hazard’s eight goals and four assists in 21 appearances have reportedly put him on the transfer wishlists of Barcelona and Real Madrid.It is not the first time that the Belgian has been named as a potential target for the Spanish duo.This time, though, Don Balon reports that Real boss Zinedine Zidane has finally convinced club president Florentino Perez to make a move for Hazard.The publication adds that Messi has found out about the proposed deal, which gives Los Blancos an upper hand over their rivals.Could this deal finally happen?Hazard has often spoken of his commitment to Chelsea, but he has never insisted that he wants to end his career at Stamford Bridge.The playmaker has been part of the Blues’ setup since his 2012 switch from Lille and in that time has won four trophies, including two Premier League titles.A five-year stretch is a long time for a player of his calibre to stay at one club when numerous elite outfits have been keen on nabbing his signature.It seems that this summer could be the right time for Hazard to make the jump given that Real could benefit from an injection of talent.Gareth Bale has been struggling with injuries, while Cristiano Ronaldo has not failed to recreate his scintillating form in La Liga.For Chelsea, though, if Hazard departs it could be a disaster with regard to future recruitment.It could also force Antonio Conte to walk out the exit gates, particularly as he was frustrated with the transfer activity in the summer.

3 minute read
14/12/2017 | 03:20pmAccording to reports in The Mirror’s live transfer blog at 17:53 on December 13, Southampton are leading the chase for Eibar midfielder Dani Garcia, although they could face competition from La Liga sides Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis and Malaga for his signature.What’s the word, then?Well, The Mirror’s live transfer blog says that the 27-year-old attacker has rejected an offer to extend his deal with the La Liga outfit, which is due to run out next summer.The Eibar captain will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with Southampton during the January transfer window if he wanted to, which would allow the south coast outfit to bring him in on a free next summer.The Mirror’s live transfer blog says that despite the interest from a number of Spanish clubs, the player is said to favour a move to the Premier League.How has Garcia performed this season?He has been very good.The 27-year-old has played in all but two of Eibar’s 15 La Liga games this term, and has helped them take 10 points from the last 12 available following a disappointing start to the campaign.The skipper, who can play in both a central or defensive midfield role, has shown his tenacity, aggression and perhaps also a lack of discipline by picking up seven bookings already during the current campaign.According to Squawka, Garcia has won 25 of the 71 tackles he has attempted, while he has won 13 of the 23 aerial duels he has faced.His record of 37 interceptions in 13 leagues matches is impressive, while he has also made 12 clearances.Would he be a good signing for Southampton?If they could get him on a free transfer you would probably say yes, but do they really need him?The middle of the park looks to be where the south coast outfit are perhaps strongest right now, as they have the likes of Oriol Romeu, Mario Lemina, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Steven Davis and James Ward-Prowse available to play in the central midfield roles.Bringing Garcia to St Mary’s would be strange in that respect, and strengthening their attacking options should be the priority in the New Year.

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15/12/2017 | 08:22pmAtletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has revealed that Manchester United target Antoine Griezmann will be allowed to leave the club, reports The Guardian.What’s the word?The Red Devils were heavily linked with a move for the France international in the summer.However, Atletico’s transfer embargo persuaded Griezmann to stay put for the time being.Numerous clubs have been touted as potential suitors for the attacker, who has scored seven goals in all competitions so far this season.Simeone has indicated that the forward could leave the club in the near future, which could spark a bidding war.The Guardian quotes the Atletico boss as saying:“Of course he can leave at some point, like Diego Costa and Arda Turan did in their day. I love watching my players grow, and if one of them tells me that they have the unique opportunity of playing for a certain team, after they did everything they could for me, like Griezmann has done, I’ll say it’s not a problem. I know that he needs to grow.”Should United go for him?Romelu Lukaku cemented himself as the team’s first-choice striker when he scored 10 goals in his first nine outings.However, the forward’s goal threat has been sporadic of late as he has found the back of the net just three times in his last eight matches.Zlatan Ibrahimovic has returned to fitness, but the 36-year-old has struggled to grab a regular spot in the team.Bringing in Griezmann would hugely boost the team’s strength up front and would lessen the burden on Lukaku’s shoulders.The problem that United will face is the level of competition from the other clubs fighting for his signature.If you are putting together an accy for this weekend, hold fire until you’ve seen our recommended coupons! We’ve got a Premier League outright win treble that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds, plus a banker of an EFL fourfold with odds of nearly 10/1! Check out the latest Football FanCast Accy show and let us know who you’re backing this weekend.

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12/11/2017 | 03:30pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Southampton have been alerted to the news that out of favour Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres is interested in making a Premier League return.What’s the word, then?Well, The Mirror says that Torres is eyeing a Premier League swansong following spells with Liverpool and Chelsea earlier in his career, with first-team opportunities hard to come by under Diego Simeone this term having featured for just 182 minutes in La Liga.With Diego Costa eligible to play in the second-half of the campaign following his move from Chelsea, The Mirror says that Torres fears he will hardly feature for the Spanish outfit in 2018.The report adds that the 33-year-old’s representatives have let Southampton and their Premier League rivals Newcastle United know that he is keen to leave on loan in January, and he is hoping that one of them will hand him a deal until the end of the season.Why would Southampton want him?Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino will be desperate to strengthen his attacking options during the January transfer window with his team scoring just nine goals in 11 Premier League matches this season, and The Mirror says he knows Torres well having worked as Benitez’s assistant when Torres was at Anfield.While he is approaching the end of his career and his spell with Chelsea was disappointing, the 33-year-old has shown throughout his career that he is a world-class striker on his day and he would bring some much-needed experience and goal threat to the Saints frontline.Could they get him?Whereas Southampton will probably want to make a permanent addition in the New Year – as they did with Manolo Gabbiadini in January of this year – it isn’t always possible to get the player you want for a reasonable price.Therefore a loan deal until the end of the season – when Torres is keen to return to his hometown club for the final year of his Atletico contract – could be an attractive option even in the short team and it is a name that would boost the St Mary’s faithful who have become bored with their team’s displays.However, the fact that Newcastle are managed by Benitez could make a deal difficult, while his salary demands could also be an issue considering The Mirror says they would have to pay part of his annual £2.2m salary.

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12/11/2017 | 04:30pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Newcastle United are keen on signing out of favour Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres on a short-term loan deal during the January transfer window.What’s the word, then?Well, The Mirror says that Torres is keen on a final Premier League swansong after finding first-team minutes hard to come by with the La Liga giants this season.The Mirror reports that the 33-year-old is keen to return to the English top flight for the second-half of the campaign with Diego Costa able to play from January onwards, with the centre-forward’s representatives letting the Magpies and Southampton know of his potential availability on loan.The report adds that the former Liverpool and Chelsea man is hoping that one of the two will be able to offer him a package that will allow him to return to England before he spends the last season of his contract with his hometown club, as they will need to take on part of his £2.2m annual salary.How has Torres done this season?The Spaniard has found game time hard to come by and despite making 10 appearances in all competitions – without finding the net – that has only included 332 minutes on the pitch and just 182 minutes in La Liga.Why would Newcastle want him?While the Magpies have made a decent start to the season, they have scored just 10 goals in their opening 11 Premier League matches this term and that is a record that they will need to improve if they want to stay out of trouble.Summer addition Joselu has done well but has only netted twice, while Dwight Gayle has struggled to get into the starting XI and Aleksandar Mitrovic appears to be out of favour.It is clear that Benitez needs to strengthen his attacking options and while his spell with Chelsea was disappointing, Torres has shown throughout his career that he can be a big goal threat.Would he be a good signing?It’s difficult to say.While he has shown world-class finishing ability in the past, the fact that he is 33 years of age means he may not be quite as sharp as he used to be.However, signing him would still boost the squad and the St James’ Park faithful and on a short-term loan there isn’t really anything to lose.

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12/11/2017 | 05:30pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Southampton have reportedly been alerted to the news that Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres could be available in January, and Saints fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Mirror says that the 33-year-old is keen to play regularly in the second-half of the campaign having found first-team minutes hard to come by this term, and his representatives have told the south coast outfit and Premier League rivals Newcastle United about his potential availability.Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino will be keen to strengthen his attacking options in the New Year with his team scoring just nine times in their 11 top flight matches this season, with the former Liverpool and Chelsea centre-forward seemingly a target.Southampton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one simply said “as if he’d come to Saints”, another said the move would be “10 years too late”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…you do know it november and not april the 1st lol— richard geddes (@richardgeddes83) November 12, 2017😂.. 10 years too late.— Andrew Davis (@andydavis1978) November 12, 2017He can attract more star players also coz who doesn't wanna play along side a top player like Torres but I don't think he will leave Atletico his probably gonna retire there.— ʝσѕнυα 🎱 (@josh17YSL) November 12, 2017Would rather we called back one of our youngsters tbh— Aaron Neilson (@Born1990) November 12, 2017As if he’d come to saints😂— ChloeeSFC⚽️♥️ (@Gedz04) November 12, 2017Utter nonsense ffs— Mathew Vincent (@MathewMraz) November 12, 2017Hope not. @Sfcsamo— Stuart Lark (@Larky78) November 12, 2017A loan move wud be a gud deal.— Joѕнυa (@underpaxt) November 12, 2017

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12/11/2017 | 06:00pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Newcastle are considering signing out of favour Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres during the January transfer window, and Magpies fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Mirror says that the 33-year-old is keen for a Premier League swansong in the second-half of the campaign after finding first-team opportunities hard to come by this term, with the centre-forward’s representatives telling the Tyneside outfit and Southampton that he could be available on loan.The former Liverpool and Chelsea man worked under Magpies boss Rafa Benitez during his successful spell with Anfield, and the Spanish boss is likely to want to strengthen his attacking options in the New Year.Newcastle supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one said he is “better than what we have”, another said he would be “a moronic signing”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Torres is finished— mark vickers (@markvickers10) November 12, 2017Scored 8 last year and was second or third choice behind Griezman and Gamerio. He’s proved in his career he needs consistent starts to score— davidlabelle7 (@david_labelle) November 5, 201733 years old and not been a consistent goal scorer for years, he was amazing at Liverpool but Chelsea messed him up.— chris surtees (@csurtees1969) November 5, 2017As an Atléti support, I hope not. Nowhere near quality enough ay the moment— Paul Kearney (@One_True_Czar) November 12, 2017He’s better than anything we’ve got.— The Honest Johns (@TheHonestJohns) November 12, 2017No thanks— NoRealTalent (@GingeroHurstez) November 12, 2017It’s just a moronic signing.— Grim (@GrimGarry) November 12, 2017Is it wrong that I still believe he can do a job? He was supported by Gerrard and Alonso, running on to long balls, Shelvey could pick him out easy!— Peter Egglestone (@StoopidMunki27) November 12, 2017

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18/12/2017 | 06:20pmAccording to Don Balon, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho wants to sign Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic in the January transfer window.What’s the story?Mourinho recently refused to rule out January signings at Old Trafford as the Portuguese considers boosting his squad at the mid-point of the campaign.Michael Carrick’s absence has been a big one for United this term, while the uncertainty surrounding the future of Marouane Fellaini has left the Red Devils short of options in the middle of the park.Scott McTominay has emerged impressively in recent weeks, but it is thought that Mourinho wants another central midfielder in his first-team squad.According to Don Balon, Real Madrid midfielder Kovacic has been identified as the perfect signing, with the United boss believing that a bid in the region of £27m would be enough to convince the Spanish and European champions to sell.Would Kovacic be a good fit at United?Kovacic, 23, joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan in the summer of 2015.He is fast closing on 100 appearances for the Spanish giants, but the presence of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro at the Bernabeu has made it difficult for the Croatian international to gain a regular spot in the team.Indeed, Kovacic, who is a 38-time Croatia international, has not started a single league match for Real Madrid this season.An energetic midfielder with an impressive range of passing, there is no question that Kovacic has the attributes to play in the Premier League. He is still young, but has a wealth of experience at the top level.United need a player that will complement Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba in the middle of the park, and Kovacic could prove to be a very smart signing for the 20-time English champions.

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4/9/2017 | 06:54amIsco was the hero for Spain as they moved a step closer to sealing their spot at the 2018 World Cup with a 3-0 victory against Italy on Saturday, and his performance certainly didn’t go unnoticed by Manchester United fans.The 25-year-old was handed a more advanced role as manager Julen Lopetegui decided to start with an out-and-out striker on the pitch, and the move paid off as the Real Madrid man scored a first-half brace.His first goal was a magnificent free-kick that beat Gianluigi Buffon in the Italy goal, before he added a second five minutes before the interval with a shot from outside the penalty area.Man United supporters were certainly impressed with what they saw and took to social media to give their thoughts on the playmaker’s performance, and many want the club to target Isco over another Real star in Gareth Bale.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…If I could sign one player for my club regardless of position and system, I'd undoubtedly get Isco. What a technically strong player #MUFC— Rishabh (@rishabh0607) September 3, 2017Just saw the highlights of that game and #Isco performance. 😱What a player! Forget Bale…If I was #mufc, I'd break the bank to sign him! https://t.co/6DuEMj3B2N— Avinash (@anjelus_28) September 3, 2017We need to get Agent Juan, Agent Andre and Agent De Gea to work and get Isco to #MUFC 🔥👀— RYAN 🇾🇪 (@rymozza_) September 2, 2017#MUFC didn't sign Isco because his head is big 🤔 !!!— Fred (@FredyTheRed) September 2, 2017Isco is the main man. He's the most id want from the Madrid team #mufc— T_bag_Mufc (@Jose_un1t3d) September 2, 2017Bale should have left for United. No way is he making into the starting 11 with Isco in this form. #mufc— SAMI (@sameerrashid_) September 2, 2017Isco was 10/10 last night. Not a step wrong.— The United Link 🏆 (@TheUnitedLink) September 3, 2017

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12/11/2017 | 07:42pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur have been placed on alert by the fact that Real Madrid are willing to sell Gareth Bale for £85m, and Spurs fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Mirror says that the Spanish giants have become increasingly frustrated at his frequent injury problems, with his latest thigh issue likely to keep him out until the New Year.The report adds that the La Liga outfit are open to offers for the 28-year-old, with Mauricio Pochettino a confirmed admirer of the former Spurs star, who scored 55 goals in 203 appearances in all competitions for the north London outfit previously.Tottenham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one said “he’s not worth more than £50m”, another said “he is exactly the kind of player we’re missing”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Really think spurs would pay 85 mil for a 28 year old that wouldn’t be able to handle Poch’s training regime and would want 300,000 a week? This is such a non story it’s ridiculous— Luke Neville (@lukenev13) November 12, 2017Not for that money. Plus his wages. Have they no idea who Daniel Levy is ?— NotSoSkinnyPete 🕴🏻 (@NotSoSkinnyPete) November 12, 2017Might get on the bench I suppose….— mark skelton (@Skelly2505) November 12, 2017We shouldnt.. He is so injury prone. Not worth the money imho.— Keldinho (@Keld_Inger) November 12, 2017The only way this happens is if Levy has decided he wants one big marquee player in to make sure that NWHL is jam packed from the outset for every game. He is exactly the kind of player we are missing to send us that one notch further up toward winning the PL. incredibly unlikely— Rich (@clevvercloggs) November 12, 2017Interesting development…. I wouldnt be against this. #THFC— Fraser William Banks (@FraserBanks) November 12, 2017No way dont bother hes not worth it we dont need him and his ego— mandy taylor (@mollymandytay) November 12, 2017Do not want him— TweetySpurs (@LliyWhite_thfc) November 12, 2017He's not worth more than £50M— Aanas Zami (@aanas_zami) November 12, 2017

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22/12/2017 | 08:00amThe agent of Tottenham Hotspur target Nicolas Gaitan has told Foot Mercato that the midfielder will leave Atletico Madrid in January, reports talkSPORT.What’s the word?The North London outfit, as well as Manchester United, were registered with an interest in the Argentine earlier this year.Gaitan has found it difficult trying to cement a place in the first team having started just six La Liga games this season.The midfielder’s agent Jose Iribarren has told Foot Mercato that a number of English clubs are interested in his client, who intends to move on next month.“I can tell you English clubs are interested. Yes, he’ll undoubtedly leave Atletico in January. He has a lot of concrete offers. Nicolas was an important player when he played in Argentina, at Benfica and with the national team.“He can’t continue in these conditions. If he can’t play a string of matches, nor win the coach’s trust. A player wants to play. We’re going to see with Atletico which solution we can find.”The 29-year-old has been at the Spanish outfit since 2016 when he made the switch from Benfica, where he made more than 250 appearances.Do Tottenham need him?The Premier League club may not necessarily be crying out for Gaitan, but he is certainly capable of providing the team with some attacking flair.So far, Mauricio Pochettino has been reliant on Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli to lead the way from midfield.However, both players have experienced dips in form in recent weeks, which could be down to the amount of games they are feating in.Gaitan would be a decent player to call upon for an injection of quality, plus the midfielder has Champions League experience.The fact that the player’s agent has confirmed his client has a desire to move in January, puts Tottenham in a good position in terms of negotiations.

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28/9/2017 | 11:20amTottenham Hotspur will have to take on Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal for the signature of Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic, according to Transfermarketweb.What’s the word?The USA international has caught the eye of many since breaking into Dortmund’s first team last year.Despite being just 19 years of age, the attacking player has become a regular figure, making 64 appearances in total, scoring 10 times and creating 14 assists.Transfermarketweb reports that Pulisic, who has 16 international caps to his name, is a target for Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid.The teenager’s current contract at the Westfalenstadion does not expire until 2020.Do Tottenham have a chance?Given Mauricio Pochettino’s proven track record of developing young players, the North London club would be a suitable destination for Pulisic.If the midfielder does decide to move on from Dortmund, then he will need to think of progression rather than choosing the biggest club.Moving to Madrid would be a huge risk as he is unlikely to be handed regular playing time and if he does not hit the ground running, he could end up fading away.Tottenham would be able to offer more first-team football, as well as guidance to help develop Pulisic’s game.However, if Arsenal and Liverpool are also sniffing around, then Pochettino will need to do what he can to convince the USA midfielder to choose Spurs.

As per Telefoot, via Daily Express, Barcelona have launched an audacious loan offer to sign Chelsea’s David Luiz.The 30-year-old defender has been displaced in the Blues’ back three due to the rise of Andreas Christensen, and his immediate future at Chelsea is undoubtedly in the balance.What’s the story? Despite persistent and public denials by the Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte, there have been reports of discontent between coach and the player, seemingly Barcelona are looking to exploit the uncertainty that characterises Luiz’s current predicament.It appears that the Catalan giants urgently require defensive reinforcement as Javier Mascherano is poised to join Hebei China Fortune in the forthcoming January transfer window. The fact that Luiz, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.com, is no longer considered a starter for Chelsea could impact the situation enormously.Can he still do it? Last season’s indelible title success for Chelsea illustrated Luiz’s ability to thrive at the highest level. During his first stint with the West London team, the Brazilian was often criticised for being too impulsive and erratic in his defensive work. He was often seen as the team’s liability, last season he displayed a greater sense of maturity and leadership as he orchestrated Chelsea’s defence.In addition to these qualities, PSG’s former centre-half is endowed with superb technical ability which will ensure that he adapts well to Barcelona’s style of play if he joins the La Liga side.Will Conte let him go? Antonio Conte has stressed on numerous occasions his concern regarding the size of his Chelsea squad, and it is unlikely that the impassioned Italian will want to witness another departure in the upcoming transfer window.Whether reports of a falling out between the manager and player are accurate or not, Chelsea will be keen to ensure that they have a replacement in mind, if Luiz departs in the new year.The festive fixture pileup is upon us! Hurrah! It’s time for Jose Mourinho to dig into his vast bank of excuses, and for you to have a flutter with the help of the Football FanCast Accy Show! We’ve got a couple of great coupons to share with you this week, including a Premier League outright win treble with very impressive LeoVegas odds, and an EFL fourfold that could help line your pockets this yuletide season. Take a look and be sure to let us know what you’re backing this weekend.

According to Diario Gol, Arsenal and Liverpool have supposedly contacted Dani Ceballos’ agent in an attempt to organise a move for the promising Spanish midfielder.The 21-year-old enjoyed a fruitful spell at Real Betis that earned him his move to Real Madrid, yet the Spaniard has only made six La Liga appearances for the champions this season.The story so far Despite favouring a summer move to Real Madrid over Catalan giants, Barcelona, Ceballos’ career with the Los Blancos is failing to develop as he would have hoped for.The promising midfielder has only made two starts in La Liga for Madrid this season, and every single one of his Champions League appearances has been as a substitute.It is believed that the Real Madrid man is keen to secure consistent first-team football elsewhere to continue his progression as a player.What’s the deal? It is reported that the La Liga champions are unwilling to allow their summer signing to depart in the forthcoming January transfer window and they would rather him leave on loan at the start of next season.It will be interesting to see how the story develops and if Arsenal or Liverpool can alter Real Madrid’s current stance on the matter.How good is Ceballos? Despite only playing in six league games for the champions this term, Ceballos has scored twice – an average of a goal every three games. He is widely recognised for his astute dribbling ability and his valuable capacity to retain possession of the ball.In addition to his attacking qualities, Ceballos flaunts good defensive capabilities, most notably is his ability to complete tackles.His arrival is likely to augment the midfield of both Arsenal and Liverpool, yet perhaps he’ll be more tailored to the Gunners’ style of play.The festive fixture pileup is upon us! Hurrah! It’s time for Jose Mourinho to dig into his vast bank of excuses, and for you to have a flutter with the help of the Football FanCast Accy Show! We’ve got a couple of great coupons to share with you this week, including a Premier League outright win treble with very impressive LeoVegas odds, and an EFL fourfold that could help line your pockets this yuletide season. Take a look and be sure to let us know what you’re backing this weekend.

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13/11/2017 | 06:40amAccording to reports in The Mirror, Manchester United are among the clubs to be alerted to the fact that Real Madrid are willing to sell forward Gareth Bale for £85m, and Red Devils fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Mirror says that the La Liga giants are considering cashing in on the 28-year-old after growing frustrated with his frequent injury problems, and the Welshman is set to be out until 2018 with a thigh issue.The report adds that while United and Jose Mourinho will join the race to sign the attacker, they could face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, while Real could also ask for David De Gea as part of any deal.Man United supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the transfer story, and while one said they ‘would take him for below £50m’, another said “I’d rather have Christian Eriksen”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…No thanks, he’s like a modern day Owen “Permanently injury” Hargreaves.— Pete Jones (@Pete_Js) November 11, 2017Exclude Man United, Bale is finished— Greater.Expectations (@mr_mac_anthony) November 11, 2017Makes zero sense. He’d cost 80/90m easily— hongo (@hongo_jr) November 12, 2017No point having a £85m player that spends most of his time on the treatment table .Pity really because when fit he's a very good player .— eddie white (@1957eddie) November 12, 2017I'd rather have Christian Eriksen. Him and Pogba would create silly amounts of chances for Lukaku— Matt Barron (@VonBarronshire) November 12, 2017Not when better players for that money or will it be united love affection for bale— Fantastic matic (@CupraWayne) November 12, 2017Gareth Bale for £85m?POINTLESS signing, he’s made of pringles!Its like Ferrari signing Michael Schumacher…#MUFC— Billy Meredith (@BigPert_MUFC) November 12, 2017#MUFC
Bale refused his chance like many others. Injury prone, let Spurs have him. Certainly not worth £85 never mind 85 million.— Loucas Andreou (@landath7) November 12, 2017I used to think that Real Madrid fans were harsh on Gareth Bale. Always jeering him, hardly giving him standing ovations. As time went by i understood why u can't blame them they will be relieved to see him gone. Lets just hope we don't get any crazy ideas of signing him 😂 #mufc— Mancunian Candidate (@Po6baholic) November 12, 2017For below £50m then yeah, anything more not worth the risk. But when fit you can’t argue he’s world class— Adrian (@Adrian_tribe) November 12, 2017Why should we chase injury prone Gareth Bale? Man United Don't need him. What get on my nerves is the price,£85.— IssifuSomaila (@IssifuSomaila) November 12, 2017

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13/11/2017 | 06:20amAccording to reports in The Mirror, Chelsea have been alerted to the fact that in demand Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale could be available for £85m, and Blues fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.The Mirror says that the La Liga giants are ready to cash in on the 28-year-old after becoming frustrated with his frequent injury problems – he is expected to be out until 2018 with a thigh issue – but the west London outfit could face competition for the Welshman’s signature from Premier League rivals Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.The report says that the Blues have shown interest in Bale previously, and they could move for him if Antonio Conte wants to strengthen his attacking options.Chelsea supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the transfer story, and while one said he “would never even play” because of his injury issues, another said ‘he’d still do more than Willian’.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Bale LWB, Goretzka CM.We would win the UCL. #CFC https://t.co/UP5sAX5XBs— FRANCO (@franco_47nm) November 12, 2017Imagine Gareth Bale on the RW, hazard on the Left w/Morata up top. And a midfield with Kante-Ruben LC-Bakayoko🔥🔥🔥🔥 #chelsea please make it happen— bryce (@ibrycent) November 12, 2017I'd still take Bale at Chelsea— Damion Kurtis (@DMeisterrr) November 12, 2017He’d still do far more for us with the repetitive injuries than Willian does in a season lol— Los Blues (@CFCLosBlues) November 12, 2017Wouldn’t mind Bale at Chelsea but Real are going to want crazy money for him— Michyology (@DonBatshuayi) November 12, 2017No way, Bale would miss more games than he’d play and Isco wouldn’t fit our system— Loan Marina to Vitesse (@LoftusSleek) November 12, 2017Bale would never even play at chelsea… only recovering from injury , over and over again..— RFZ_#CFC (@RFZ_94) November 12, 2017Please not Chelsea!— Jackie P (@Jackie___P) November 11, 2017

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27/12/2017 | 06:38pmAccording to Marca, via the Daily Express, Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil is one of five January signings that Barcelona are intending to make when the transfer window reopens.The German international’s contract expires at the end of the current season, and the 29-year-old is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club when the window opens on the 1st of January.What’s the story? It is being reported that Barcelona are preparing to make five signings in the new year at relatively cheap rates to bolster Ernesto Valverde’s squad.Rather famously, Barca underwent a summer of vast spending – much of which was evoked by the departure of Neymar to PSG – accordingly they’re hoping to make financially shrewd deals in the upcoming window.Is Ozil the right fit? Since joining Arsenal from Barca’s arch rivals, Real Madrid, in the summer of 2013, Ozil has amassed 177 first-team appearances for the Gunners, scoring 36 goals. Last season was the German’s most prolific term from a goal-scoring perspective for the North London team, and he’s highly regarded for his tendency to create goals.Real Madrid’s former playmaker, who is valued at £45m by transfermartk.com, has started this season in fine form having scored four goals and registered five assists in 16 league games for the FA Cup winners. There’s no denying that the German international provides an abundance of creativity, a quality that would augment Barcelona’s attack enormously.Will Wenger let him go? While the thought of losing one of their star players at a reduced fee may evoke concern among Arsenal supporters, the likelihood is that Wenger would rather see Ozil return to Spain in January – with Arsenal recouping some money – than see their number 11 join someone like Manchester United on a free transfer in the summer.

Arsenal have long been attributed with an interest in Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and a move could materialise next summer, according to Spanish outlet Don Balon.What’s the story?Although not the most reliable of reports, Don Balon’s claim that Florentino Perez will use his authority at Real Madrid next summer to reshape Zinedine Zidane’s squad is certainly possible and a new-look side could be created.Karim Benzema, now 29, could find himself on the way out as Real Madrid consider options to rejuvenate their forward line, with their list of targets including Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann and Juventus’ Argentine sensation Paulo Dybala.With Marco Asensio and Isco stepping-up to become crucial players for Real Madrid over the course of the past 12 months, the reliability on the likes of Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale has significantly decreased- which could lead to changes.Bale has himself struggled with regular injury problems and could be sold to provide funds for a move next summer, whilst Benzema will likely seek an exit as he won’t want to play second-fiddle and Real Madrid would accept his wishes after years of service that has seen him lift 14 titles in the Santiago Bernabeu.Is there still a place at Arsenal?Whilst some may feel the ship has sailed for Benzema and Arsenal due to the summer signing of Alexandre Lacazette, the Gunners still have a desire to rejuvenate their attacking options- especially as it’s highly likely Alexis Sanchez will leave next summer.Benzema could therefore slot into Arsenal’s line-up as the first-choice striker, with Lacazette dropping behind his compatriot and playing alongside World Cup winner Mesut Ozil- assuming the former Real Madrid man pens a new deal.Former Lyon man Benzema will turn 31 in December next year, so cannot be seen as a long-term solution for Arsenal, but they may need to strengthen their ranks as Olivier Giroud, who turns 31 this month, may bring an end to his time in North London.The striker was offered the chance to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer but elected to stay and fight for his spot in the side, scoring a dramatic winner on the opening weekend victory over Leicester City, but has found first-team opportunities limited since.

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13/11/2017 | 06:00pmAccording to The Sun, Valencia are closely monitoring Marouane Fellaini’s contract situation at Manchester United as the La Liga outfit consider a move.What’s the story?There is no question that Fellaini is a favourite of United boss Jose Mourinho, but the fact of the matter is that the Belgian will soon enter the final six months of his contract at Old Trafford.There was a stage where Fellaini was almost a joke figure at United, but the 29-year-old has scored four times and provided one assist in nine appearances this term.Despite his impressive form, the midfielder will be out of contract at the end of the season, and it is understood that talks over an extension are yet to begin.According to The Sun, Valencia are keen to land Fellaini on a free transfer, and will approach the experienced midfielder at the start of 2018 with the view to tying him to a pre-contract.Surely Mourinho wants to keep him?Fellaini might not be the best player in the world, but there is a reason why Mourinho is such a big fan of the towering Belgian.There was interest from Turkey during the summer transfer window, but the United boss refused to allow the former Everton midfielder to leave due to his importance to the team.Fellaini, who is valued at £10.8m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has scored three times in seven Premier League appearances this term, and was rushed back from a knee injury to feature against Chelsea before the international break.Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera and Juan Mata are also among those that will be out of contract at United this summer, whilst there is speculation surrounding the future of Mourinho.It is no surprise that a number of clubs are interested in signing a player of Fellaini’s experience and standing on a free transfer, but it is very hard to believe that Mourinho would allow one of his favourite players to enter January without a new contract in place.

Liverpool face a major battle on their hands if they are to lure Timo Werner to the Premier League from RB Leipzig next summer, according to reports cited by TalkSport.What’s the story?Seemingly not content with landing Naby Keita from the Bundesliga’s breakthrough side last season, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are ready to raid RB Leipzig once again for the services of Timo Werner next summer following the German international’s meteoric rise.The 21-year-old forward has netted 24 goals in 34 league matches for RB Leipzig so far and has also made a major impact on the international stage, finding the back of the net six times in eight matches after making his debut for Joachim Lowe’s side earlier this year.Naturally, that’s led to a wealth of interest in the young striker’s services and Sport 1 state Real Madrid have joined Liverpool in the hunt for the forward who’s widely regarded to be one of the best up-and-coming striking talents in European football.Where would he fit?Liverpool’s attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane is one of the best in the Premier League but one downfall is the lack of a recognised central striker, which is why reports consistently link Timo Werner with a switch to Anfield.Whether he’d be a guaranteed starter is debatable though as the aforementioned trio have proved to be extremely valuable to Jurgen Klopp’s side this season, so Werner may remarkably have a better chance of securing regular football at Real Madrid.With Karim Benzema turning 30 this year, chairman Florentino Perez is keen to rejuvenate Real Madrid’s attack with the addition of a young striker and Werner is reportedly on their short-list, with Spanish outlet Don Balon claiming Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann and Juventus’ Paulo Dybala are also being tracked.Liverpool could have the financial firepower to compete with Real Madrid in the market if Barcelona succeed with a move for Philippe Coutinho next summer but RB Leipzig are determined not to sell, as they see Werner as an integral part of their side.

It’s been a long summer for Diego Costa but his transfer limbo looks set to end with an exit from Chelsea, according to Spanish outlet Marca.What’s the story?Shortly after winning the Premier League with Chelsea last season, Blues boss Antonio Conte informed the Spanish striker he was surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge and the signing of Alvaro Morata was the final nail in the coffin.Named in the Blues’ Champions League squad, having failed to secure an exit during the summer, it seemed Costa could have an opportunity at redemption in West London. However, it now seems any appearances will simply be a final swan-song for the controversial striker.Marca state Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement with Chelsea to bring the striker back to Diego Simeone’s side in the January transfer window, where the La Liga giants will see their transfer embargo come to an end.The move comes as no surprise as The Sun reported earlier this week that Costa has sent his family back to the Spanish capital ahead of his return to La Liga, though it remains to be seen how much football he’ll receive at Stamford Bridge in the meantime.Risky move by Chelsea?Britain Football Soccer – Chelsea v Southampton – Premier League – Stamford Bridge – 25/4/17 Chelsea manager Antonio Conte celebrates after the match with Diego Costa Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.Chelsea have been heavily reliant on Diego Costa in recent years but seem uninterested in having two top-class strikers battling for a spot at Stamford Bridge, with Michy Batshuayi, a player yet to find his feet in the Premier League, playing understudy to the Blues’ record-signing Morata.A return to Madrid for Costa was always the likely outcome and it’s a big step for Diego Simeone’s side too, as they move to their new stadium, as it means they have a direct replacement for Antoine Griezmann should the Frenchman be lured elsewhere next summer.Chelsea’s biggest success though is getting £54m in the transfer market for a player they do not want, which is further evidence of the Blues’ strong negotiations skills as they’ve previously got a lot of money for the likes of Oscar and Ramires to China.Whilst the money from the Far East appears to be stagnating, prices in Europe have been on a meteoric rise in recent seasons and Chelsea have once again shown they have the ability to negotiate the best possible deal no matter who they’re negotiating with.

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13/11/2017 | 10:30pmAndreas Pereira has revealed that he wants to stay at Valencia rather than return to parent club Manchester United in the January transfer window.The 21-year-old, who is valued at £4.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, joined Valencia on a season-long loan from United in the latter stages of the summer.United boss Jose Mourinho revealed shortly after that he was not entirely happy with Pereira’s decision to leave, and it has been claimed that the Red Devils could decide to recall the Belgium-born midfielder at the start of 2018.Pereira, however, has revealed that he is desperate to see out the season with Valencia having featured regularly for the Spanish outfit in the early stages of the 2017-18 campaign.Pereira told Super Deportes:“In my head I want to be here, help Valencia until June. It is the thought with which I came.“I know that I have this clause in the assignment contract and now I have to wait to see. But my mind is focused on Valencia and I want to stay here.“It is important that I am playing to grow, be better and help Valencia. It would be very difficult to return to United mid-year and continue with the same evolution that I’m having now.”Pereira has scored once and provided three assists in nine La Liga appearances for a Valencia team that sit second to Barcelona after a fine start to the season.The midfielder signed a new two-year deal at United shortly before leaving on loan.

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28/9/2017 | 07:22am
According to reports on talkSPORT, Southampton have been alerted to the fact that out-of-favour Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer wants to leave the club during the January transfer window.TalkSPORT says that Saints were keen on signing the 24-year-old during the summer, but Barca obviously looked to keep the Spain international after selling Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, while the player himself would have been keen to prove himself at the Camp Nou having only joined from Valencia in 2016.However, those regular first team minutes haven’t been forthcoming under Ernesto Valverde this term and Alcacer could now look to leave the Catalan giants in the New Year.Meanwhile, Saints’ goalscoring issues from last season have continued into this one under Mauricio Pellegrino and they have now failed to score in 10 of their last 14 top flight matches, and it could mean that the Argentine looks to strengthen his attacking options when the window reopens in 2018.Here are three reasons Southampton must make Alcacer their top January target…

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14/11/2017 | 11:43am
According to reports in Spanish media outlet Don Balon, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi wants the club to sign Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Dele Alli.With Andres Iniesta coming towards the end of his career with the La Liga giants and with Ivan Rakitic turning 30 in March, the Catalan outfit may well be looking for a new number 10 either in January or next summer and Don Balon says that Messi believes that Alli should be a target.The 21-year-old will likely be on the radar of a number of the top clubs across Europe after scoring 39 goals in 109 appearances in all competitions for Spurs, including a remarkable 22 in 50 outings last term.If the England international did end up moving to the Camp Nou, Mauricio Pochettino would know that he would need to find a top class replacement, and the answer could be close to home in the form of Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who is currently on loan at Crystal Palace.Here are three reasons Tottenham should move for the Blues man if Alli leaves…

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14/11/2017 | 12:01pm
According to reports in The Mirror, Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres is eyeing a Premier League swansong, and Southampton are one of the clubs that have been alerted to his potential availability.The 33-year-old has found first-team football hard to come by for the La Liga giants this season, and The Mirror says that he is keen to come to the English top flight on loan for the second-half of the campaign before returning to Spain to spend the final year of his contract with his hometown club.Saints and Premier League rivals Newcastle United have both been informed by the former Liverpool and Chelsea centre-forward’s representatives that he could be available, and it is a proposal that could interest Mauricio Pellegrino considering his team have scored just nine league goals in 11 games this term.While the Spaniard would perhaps be a good addition on paper, the south coast outfit may be better off trying to get his attacking teammate Luciano Vietto instead.Here are three reasons Southampton must forget Torres and target the Argentine…

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27/9/2017 | 04:45pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Everton could make a January move for £20m-rated Atletico Madrid forward Kevin Gameiro after summer transfer target Diego Costa returned to his former club from Chelsea.What’s the word, then?Well, The Mirror says that the Frenchman could be surplus to requirements after Atletico agreed terms with the Premier League holders to bring Costa back to Spain earlier this month.The Mirror says that the £67m deal means that the La Liga giants may be forced to balance the books in the New Year, and that could mean they look to offload Gameiro, who has found game time hard to come by.The report adds that Everton have been sounded out about his potential availability, with the Merseyside failing to sign the direct Romelu Lukaku replacement that manager Ronald Koeman wanted during the summer transfer window.The Mirror says that Atletico would be willing to loan him out for the remainder of the campaign or negotiate a £20m permanent deal.How has Gameiro done at Atletico?While the 30-year-old was something of a key first team player under Diego Simeone in his first season when he ended the 2016/17 campaign with 16 goals and a further seven assists in 46 appearances in all competitions, but he has found it more difficult to get time on the pitch this term.The French attacker has played in just 27 minutes of Atletico’s opening six La Liga fixtures of the season, while he was left out of the squad altogether for the Champions League clash against AS Roma a fortnight ago.Would he be a good signing for Everton?It’s difficult to say.While the 30-year-old has done well for Atletico when played as a centre-forward, he is certainly more in the mould of Sergio Aguero than Lukaku from a physical point of view and couldn’t be seen as a direct replacement for the big Belgian.That said, his record for Sevilla and Atletico in La Liga has certainly been impressive and he has shown that he can find the net on a regular basis.One concern for the Toffees though would be how Sandro Ramirez – who also impressed in Spain for Malaga last season – has so far struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and they could easily find themselves in a similar situation if they brought Gameiro to Goodison Park.

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27/9/2017 | 07:15amTottenham Hotspur fans are feeling very confident about the team’s progression into the knockout rounds of the Champions League following back-to-back wins.The North London outfit were arguably handed the toughest group of the draw when they were place in a pot alongside defending champions Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and APOEL.A 3-1 victory over Dortmund put Mauricio Pochettino’s men in a strong position after Matchday One, and they followed that up with a 3-0 win over APOEL in Cyprus on Tuesday night.Harry Kane stole the headlines by securing a hat-trick – his sixth in 2017 – and it helped the club move equal with Madrid on six points.Following their last two results in the competition, Tottenham fans are feeling confident that the team can match Real when the pair go head to head.Spurs will be facing their former player Gareth Bale, who scored a wonder-goal in Madrid’s 3-1 win over Dortmund in Germany.Get in!!! He's one of our own! Bring on Real Madrid! ⚽️⚽️⚽️ #COYS https://t.co/8dzzn1vRGW— Jamie Arden (@jampota) September 26, 2017Two teams have 100% records in group H, one is the best team in the world and the other is Real Madrid 😉#thfc #coys pic.twitter.com/bgCVw7Q9f5— KWP (@therealwalker37) September 26, 2017Madrid, watch out, were after you …. #COYS pic.twitter.com/MDyCadtFax— Spurssoko ⚽️ (@TheMacBoy_) September 26, 2017Bring on Real Madrid! #COYS #TTID— kryptokev (@kevinfds) September 26, 2017We're coming for you……we're coming for you! Gareth Bale we're coming for you! Bring on Madrid! #COYS— Dom Coeur-De-Lion (@dom_coeurdelion) September 26, 2017Our fate is in our hands. We can go to Madrid with no fear, nor expectation. Expected to lose but on our day we can beat anyone. #COYS #THFC— Jurts__COYS94 (@THFC_COYS94) September 26, 2017Perfect start to the CL group of death, sets us up nicely for Madrid #COYS— Carlb (@carlbowman) September 26, 2017Well done boys. Bring on Real Madrid. This gonna be good 😃 #COYS— Dele (@zarifhrahman) September 26, 2017

Gareth Bale’s name has regularly been mentioned on the back pages of the tabloids regarding a move to Manchester United but the Welsh sensation has spoken about why he’s stayed in Spain, in an interview with The Daily Mail.What’s the story?Ever since his emergence at Tottenham Hotspur, Gareth Bale has regularly been named by the press as Manchester United’s ‘top-target’ and a move for the wing-wizard to Real Madrid, where he’s since won three Champions League titles, hasn’t quelled the speculation.Rumours rose again this summer following a varied year for Bale, who clinched another Champions League medal but saw his involvement in the glory limited due to consistent injury problems- which led many to speculate he could be surplus to requirements as Isco and Marco Asensio proved their worth.Neymar decided to move on to become the king of Paris, leaving Barcelona, and Bale could have reigned supreme at Old Trafford if he elected to seal a move. However, The Daily Mail mentions in an in-depth interview with the Welsh wizard that an exit was never close.What’s been said?Speaking to The Daily Mail, Bale admitted there’s a theory to becoming the star-man elsewhere but stated he wants to be judged on trophies, indicating that he feels his chances of further success at Real Madrid are superior to what he could achieve with Manchester United.‘Well there’s an argument for that but I think the main thing, when you look back on your career, is that you look at your trophies. In the end that’s probably the most important thing.’Will he ever return?Clearly comfortable in Spain, and now 28, Bale’s preference would clearly be to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu and push towards legendary status with the Spanish giants. Having been part of a squad that’s won three Champions League titles in four years, being an integral part in the victories in 2014 and 2016, it’s certainly a possibility.With Real Madrid regularly linked to big names though, Bale’s position within Zinedine Zidane’s side isn’t perhaps as stable as it would be if he were to move back to the Premier League. However, he does have the benefit of the fact that Karim Benzema seems the most likely to be replaced.Cristiano Ronaldo turns 33 next year and his importance to Real Madrid is already starting to decline, so Bale has the chance to establish himself as Los Blancos’ biggest hero in the coming years- but a return to English football will never be off the cards.

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26/9/2017 | 03:43pmAccording to reports in the Daily Mail, Leeds United are considering making a move for Osasuna midfielder Fran Merida, who like recent addition Samu Saiz is playing in the second tier of Spanish football, after sending scouts to watch the former Arsenal man in action.What’s the word, then?Well, Leeds United may be top of the Championship table on goal difference going into Tuesday night’s fixtures following an impressive start to the campaign, but it hasn’t stopped Thomas Christiansen looking at players that could potentially improve his squad during the January transfer window and beyond.The Daily Mail says that scouts from the Yorkshire outfit have been trailing the 27-year-old, who is in his second season with Osasuna following their relegation from La Liga last term, with a view to making a move for the Spaniard.Merida has certainly had an interesting career having been on the books of Barcelona, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid during his career, but he has failed to settle down at any of those or Braga, Hercules, Atletico Paranaense and Huesca prior to joining Osasuna.How has he done for them?Ok, but not brilliant.Merida, who usually operates as a central or defensive midfielder has made 25 appearances in all competitions since joining Osasuna in the summer of 2016, and he sometimes struggled to make the matchday squad on occasions in La Liga last term.In 15 outings in the Spanish top flight, he did show his ability with the ball at his feet by successfully completing 12 of the 17 take-ons he attempted in what was a disappointing personal campaign for him and the club.Would he be a good signing for Leeds?It’s difficult to say.Saiz has already made a huge impression at Elland Road and while Merida may have struggled to have a huge impact at Osasuna, there is no reason why he couldn’t with Leeds.Of course he already has some experience of English football too from his time with Arsenal, and that would stand him in good stead if he did join the Championship outfit during the January transfer window or elsewhere in the future.That said, the Yorkshire outfit look to be well stocked in the middle of the park right now with Kalvin Phillips, Eunan O’Kane, Ronaldo Vieira and Mateusz Klich, and they also have to start thinking about players that could make the jump up to the Premier League because of their promising start.It’s hard to believe that Merida is good enough to do that, though.

The saga concerning Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool has not been drawn to a close with the end of the transfer window and Barcelona will return for the Brazilian in January, Spanish outlet Sport reports.What’s the story?Having handed in a transfer request this summer and failing to secure a move to Barcelona, who saw numerous bids rejected by Liverpool, Philippe Coutinho seems an unhappy figure on Merseyside but he still has the chance of making his dream move.Sport state the Catalan giants have not ended their pursuit of the Brazilian and will return with a fresh offer in January, with Coutinho yet to feature for Liverpool this season due to a back injury- but he was fit enough to feature and score in his nation’s World Cup qualifying victory over Ecuador.Whilst Liverpool’s resolve has always remained strong on Coutinho, there’s only so far that can go if the South American starlet wants to leave and many believed the Reds were daft this summer for turning down audacious sums of money for the playmaker.Will he stay?Given the series of events concerning Coutinho’s links to Barcelona, it really is a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ the Brazilian leaves Liverpool and the danger is that things could start to boil behind the scenes, potentially then causing immense problems behind the scenes.It’s something that Liverpool may not be alone with this year, as Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal and Virgil Van Dijk at Southampton experienced similar, but the resolve of Liverpool to keep Coutinho in January is likely to be a lot stronger than their counterparts.Barcelona also have a record of pulling controversial stunts in their quest to get major deals over the line, including getting star players to speak about a move and forcing a Barcelona shirt on Cesc Fabregas whilst he was on international duty, so it’s unlikely we’re anywhere near the end of this saga.

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25/9/2017 | 02:40pmTottenham Hotspur star Dele Alli is being targeted by Real Madrid in a potential swap deal involving Mateo Kovacic, according to Don Balon.What’s the story?It is not the first time that Alli has been linked with a move to Spain due to his significant rise over the past couple of years.The 21-year-old has established himself as a regular for Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham team, as well as for England.Since moving to the North London club from MK Dons in 2015, Alli has scored 35 goals and created 25 assists in 107 appearances.His statistics seem to have attracted the attention of Madrid, who according to Don Balon, are prepared to offer Kovacic in a deal.It is believed that club president Florentino Perez is keen to snatch Alli away in January, but Spurs are unwilling to listen to offers before the end of the season.Should Tottenham consider a deal?Based on statistics alone, no. Kovacic has netted just three goals and racked up five assists in 78 appearances for Madrid since his 2015 switch from Inter Milan.The 23-year-old also plays in a different style to Alli in that he sits in a much deeper role, so it would not be a like-for-like replacement.It is clear that the Tottenham star has not found his best form yet this season following a handful of lacklustre performances.Even during this slight lull, though, Alli has still produced three goals and an assist in seven outings in all competitions.With Tottenham becoming serious challengers for honours, it is vital that Pochettino keeps his best players.

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15/11/2017 | 09:20amNewcastle United and West Ham United are keeping tabs on Villarreal striker Cedric Bakambu, according to Marca.What’s the story?It is not the first time that the Hammers have been linked to the Congo international, but they reportedly fell short of the club’s asking price.So far this season, Bakambu has scored nine goals in 14 outings in all competitions, and eight of those were netted in La Liga.Marca claims that Newcastle and West Ham have taken notice of the forward’s goalscoring form, while West Bromwich Albion have also been registered with an interest.It is believed that Bakambu has a release clause worth around £27m, while transfermarkt.com value the striker at £14.4m.Could Newcastle or West Ham win the race?The striker would be a great addition to either team, particularly as both are in need of a reliable goalscorer.Javier Hernandez was meant to be the solution for the Hammers, but in 13 appearances in all competitions, the Mexico international has scored four times.It is worth noting, though, that the 29-year-old was played out of position numerous times by former manager Slaven Bilic, who was replaced by David Moyes.For both West Ham and Newcastle, the biggest stumbling block is the £27m price tag.The East London outfit could not meet the valuation before, while the Magpies’ takeover situation brings uncertainty with regards to transfer budget.

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25/9/2017 | 01:20pmEverton were prepared to pay £70m for Chelsea striker Diego Costa in a late move in the summer transfer window, according to The Mirror.What’s the story?The Merseyside outfit spent more than £100m on a handful of new signings, but they failed to replace Romelu Lukaku, who left to join Manchester United.Wayne Rooney returned to Goodison Park, while Sandro Ramirez was also bought, but it has been widely reported that manager Ronald Koeman wanted another attacking player.The Mirror reports that Everton were willing to pay a staggering £70m for Chelsea misfit Costa, who caused controversy in the summer for refusing to return to Stamford Bridge.The Spain international made it clear that he only wanted to join his former club Atletico Madrid, and eventually his wish was granted.Costa will not be eligible to play for the La Liga club until January, though, due to a transfer embargo that prevents Atletico from registering new players until 2018.What does this bid tell us about Everton?Firstly, that the Toffees certainly have money to spend. The club jumped out of the blocks in the transfer window and were praised for their early business.However, judging by the team’s performances this season so far, they failed to bring in the one player they needed – a striker.The Toffees have won two of their six Premier League matches and in that time have scored just four times.If these latest reports are true, then potentially forking out £70m for Costa so late in the window shows that Koeman was desperate for a new attacker.Ironically, the man who the manager deemed not good enough for the team is showing the most promise up front.Oumar Niasse, who did not even have a squad number at the start of last season, has scored three goals in his last two matches in all competitions.

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4/9/2017 | 06:13amReal Madrid playmaker Isco was the hero for Spain as they beat Italy 3-0 in their crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier on Saturday, and his performance didn’t go unnoticed by Chelsea fans.The 25-year-old was given a more attacking role as Julen Lopetegui opted to start the match without a recognised striker, and he certainly didn’t let his manager down.The Spaniard fired a brilliant free-kick past Gianluigi Buffon in the 13th minute before adding a second from outside the penalty area five minutes before the interval to send his nation on the way to a comfortable win.Isco has struggled to break into the Real first team under Zinedine Zidane, but there are already signs that could change this season – especially after his latest two-goal salvo for his country.Nevertheless, Chelsea supporters were quick to have their say on the showing via social media, and many would love to see the 25-year-old in a Blues shirt, preferably playing alongside Eden Hazard.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…What a shame Chelsea lost the chance to sign Isco a few seasons ago. Would have been a star for us #CFC— Thea (@tmac19971) September 3, 2017What I'd give to make Isco a blue. #CFC— Demarquis McIntyre (@DemarquisMcInty) September 2, 2017Isco has a good game against Verratti and he's suddenly the best thing since sliced bread. Fooball Twitter is so impulsive.— Dami (@TheChelseaWay) September 3, 2017oh how id love isco so much at chelsea what a man— 💙 (@Hazuayi) September 3, 2017Would love to see Isco and Hazard play together someday, the football would be out of this world!— ChelseaDaily (@Chelsea20126) September 2, 2017Sooner Chelsea buys Isco, the better.— ♘ Kaiser ♘ (@JoeyKaiZer) September 2, 2017The things I'd do to have Isco at Chelsea 🤤— Jack ✌️ (@RamboMorgan) September 2, 2017

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1/11/2017 | 06:30amTottenham Hotspur have been keen to stress that they are not a one-man team, and while that may be the case, the North London outfit missed Harry Kane’s presence against Manchester United at the weekend.Mauricio Pochettino’s men failed to seriously threaten David de Gea and ended up losing 1-0 at Old Trafford.Kane missed out on the trip to the North-West of England due to a hamstring injury, but it seems that the striker could be available for tonight’s Champions League contest against Real Madrid at Wembley.During his pre-match press conference, Pochettino confirmed to reporters that the 24-year-old took part in training and is hopeful of being 100% fit for the clash.Earlier this month, the Premier League club earned a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu, which has left them level on points with Madrid in Group H.Given that Spurs are closing in on qualification for the last 16, some fans think that Kane should not be risked against the Spanish giants, but rather allow him to be fresh for Sunday’s league match against Crystal Palace.Others, though, are keen for the England international to be unleashed this evening.I hope he's available for the Real game.— Nisha. (@NishaZaharie) October 31, 2017HES PLAYING ALRIGHT— 🇮🇪 (@Aldertonghen_) October 31, 2017The best notice ever 🔥🤤 #COYS— Luis Angel Alvarado® (@Soyluiso8) October 31, 2017Play him lads— Lewis 🇬🇧 (@L_Addison01) October 31, 2017Please don’t play him, wait for Saturday!— tweetmicka (@tweetmicka) October 31, 2017Pls put Kane in the starting 11 against Real Madrid ❤️— Aizzy Kane (@FarhanAizzy) October 31, 2017Rest him up lads— Seedotu (@cunderwood97) October 31, 2017Don't play him tomorrow keep him fresh for the league— Seanie G (@theseanieg) October 31, 2017Don't risk him simple.— Mark Lucas (@Mark_lucasSkem) October 31, 2017play him we can't beat real Madrid without him— leeroy sibanda (@leeroysibanda2) October 31, 2017Dont risk him if not 100%, whatever you do 🙏— Double M (@Marl_McC) October 31, 2017

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1/11/2017 | 08:00amThe build-up to the first Champions League encounter between Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid was dominated by transfer rumours linking Harry Kane with a move to the Bernabeu.The second fixture between the pair has also been dominated by Kane, but this time it is centred around the striker’s fitness.Tottenham were without the 24-year-old for Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United due to a hamstring injury.The England international has returned to training ahead of Wednesday’s showdown against Madrid at Wembley, but manager Mauricio Pochettino is unsure whether Kane will be named in the first XI.After sealing two wins and a draw, Spurs are well positioned to qualify for the last 16 in Europe, which means that they could afford to rest Kane rather than risk him.Football pundit Charlie Nicholas believes that Pochettino’s men could rub salt into the wound of Madrid, who head into this week’s match on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Girona in La Liga.The former Arsenal forward told Sky Sports:“Real Madrid had a shocking result losing to Girona on Sunday and if Kane is fully fit then they are there for the taking. They look all over the place and looking to blame each other, with Sergio Ramos likely to be up to his old tricks and Cristiano Ronaldo unhappy with the physical treatment he’ll get from Tottenham’s defence.”

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15/11/2017 | 06:57pm
According to reports by Spanish media outlet Marca, Newcastle United are one of three Premier League clubs interested in signing Villarreal striker Cedric Bakambu after his impressive start to the season.The 26-year-old has begun the campaign in fine goalscoring form, which Marca says has caught the attentions of the Magpies, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United despite the fact that he could be a costly addition as his current deal doesn’t run out until 2022.The report says that the Irons made an unsuccessful offer of around €25m (currently £22.4m) for the Democratic Republic of Congo international during the summer, and they could reignite their interest in January with Javier Hernandez so far failing to make the impact that was perhaps expected of him.In an interview with French TV station SFR Sport 1 last week, the centre-forward expressed his desire to play in the English top flight, and Toon boss Rafa Benitez must take advantage of that wish by outbidding his Premier League rivals and offering the attacker an offer he can’t refuse to turn down in the New Year.Here are three reasons Newcastle must win the race to sign Bakambu…

According to the Daily Star, Manchester United will return to Atletico Madrid with a bid to sign Antoine Griezmann within the next two transfer windows.What’s the Story?Manchester United have set aside £100million and left their number 7 shirt “un-allocated” in preparation for Antoine Griezmann, who they will bid for within the next year, according to the latest report.The Frenchman was the subject of much speculation this summer, with Manchester United seemingly making Griezmann their top target. However, Jose Mourinho’s side failed to land their man and subsequently, he stayed with Atletico Madrid until at least January.With the number 7 shirt currently unoccupied at Old Trafford, rumours are starting to grow as to why this commercially profitable shirt has yet to have an owner this season. And it seems that we may now have an answer.How good was Griezmann last season?Since his phenomenal performances for France at Euro 2016, Antoine Griezmann has been one of the most sought after players in Europe. Last season, the 26-year-old, who is valued at £72million by Transfermarkt hadyet another fantastic domestic campaign.The French international scored 16 times in 36 appearances for Atletico, his second largest single season goal-scoring tally of his career and was a constant threat to opposition with his lightning pace and technical ability.Would Griezmann be a good signing for Manchester United?Absolutely. Manchester United’s bright offensive start to this season demonstrates the talent that they have in their attacking positions. Adding Griezmann to this crop in January or next summer would only improve the balance of the team and could help Manchester United become the dominant European force that they once were.

According to Diario Gol, Tottenham are interested in bringing Gareth Bale back to the club, with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez desperate to offload the Welshman.What’s the Story?Following a disastrous start to Real Madrid’s latest campaign, Gareth Bale is reportedly surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu, and Tottenham are ready to make a bid to lure the Welshman, who is valued at £72million by Transfermarkt, back to his former club.However, Madrid’s president Florentino Perez will accept no less £80million for the 28-year-old, and Tottenham will not be looking to spend any more than £55million for their former star.How good has Bale been this season?If the Welshman were at any other club than Real Madrid, the start to his season would perhaps be under no scrutiny. However, the expectant club have been unimpressed with Bale, who has actually faced jeers from his own fans at the Bernabeu.To compound the former Spurs star’s misery he has been out of action for the last month with injuries and is set for a few more weeks on the sidelines.Unfortunately, his time in the famous white of Madrid may be coming to a disappointing end.Would Bale be a good signing for Tottenham?While the bullish attitude of some Tottenham fans regarding a move for Bale is understandable, the Welshman is still one of the best players in the world.Adding him to the phenomenal squad that Mauricio Pochettino is already building would turn Spurs from ‘nearly men’ in the Premier League to genuine Champions League contendors.

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4/10/2017 | 09:00amGareth Bale was expected to face his former club Tottenham Hotspur in two weeks’ time when Real Madrid hosted the North London outfit at the Bernabeu.The two clubs will go head to head in the group phase of the Champions League, with both on six points apiece.The build up would have been focused on Bale, but now injury looks set to rule him out of the match.The Guardian reports that the 28-year-old is facing four weeks on the sidelines with a calf injury, which has forced him out of Wales’ two crucial World Cup qualifiers.If Bale is unable to feature against Tottenham, where he spent six years of his career before moving to Madrid for £85m in 2013, then it will be a big boost to Mauricio Pochettino’s side.Spurs were arguably handed the toughest group, but they have already overcome Borussia Dortmund and APOEL.The Premier League club will be underdogs heading into the encounter, but without Bale, Madrid are weaker.After the reports emerged, Tottenham gave their reactions on Twitter.Hope Bale isn't out of our game against Madrid, would love to neither cheer or boo him just to show how irrelevant he is to Spurs these days— Callum Sturt (@CallumSturt94) October 3, 2017@Ben_Farmer16 scared of davies— Ross (@RossiT99) October 3, 2017Now all we need is ronaldo isco asensio modric kroos ramos marcelo carvajal ceballos and casemiro to get injured as well— MR MIYAGI (@mrmiyagi996) October 3, 2017Tbh Aurier on bale was a red waiting to happen.And trippier he’d have breezed past like a paper https://t.co/qLO9U39elo less worry for poch.— TAS🔵⚪️ (@coys100) October 3, 20176 points coming up! #thfc #COYS— Spurslife– (@SomeYoungMin) October 3, 2017A shame, would have loved to have seen him again.— Rob Bettles (@Rob_Bettles26) October 3, 2017Glad, he hasn’t been very nice about us since he left so happy he won’t have an opportunity to play against us— Nick Buckland (@Nick_Buckland) October 3, 2017Mixed emotions on that one.— Tottenham Grammar (@PhilYiddo) October 3, 2017He don’t want to hurt us mate 😉— Austin Nardone (@1Ratchet_rabbit) October 3, 2017

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16/11/2017 | 09:43am
According to reports on Spanish media outlet Marca, West Ham United are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing in-form Villarreal striker Cedric Bakambu during the January transfer window.Marca says that the Irons made an offer for Democratic Republic of Congo international in the summer but were unable to match the price tag put on the centre-forward’s head, but they are now ready to revive their interest in the prolific 26-year-old.The report adds that the Hammers’ English top flight rivals West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United are also keeping tabs on the attacker, who has scored nine goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for the La Liga outfit so far this term.While new Irons boss David Moyes will undoubtedly be looking to strengthen his squad in the New Year considering they currently find themselves in the relegation zone, he may be better off ignoring Bakambu and targeting a deal for his club compatriot Rodrigo Hernandez.Here are three reasons West Ham should forget about the striker and sign his midfield teammate instead…

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16/11/2017 | 10:12am
Denmark thrashed the Republic of Ireland 5-1 in the second leg of their 2018 World Cup play-off in Dublin on Tuesday night to secure their spot in Russia next summer, and the performance of winger Pione Sisto would have caught the attention of a number of clubs.The Celta Vigo forward picked up two assists and was just a general nuisance to the Ireland defence throughout on what was just his 10th cap, and had it not been for Christian Eriksen’s hat-trick he would probably have picked up the man of the match award.The 22-year-old has certainly made big strides in recent years having moved to La Liga from FC Midtjylland in 2016, with Southampton well aware of his talents having come up against him in their defeat to the Danish outfit over two legs in the Europa League qualifying rounds in 2015.Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino will be looking to strengthen his attacking options during the January transfer window with his team netting just nine goals in their 11 Premier League matches so far this term, and bringing in the wide man would certainly prove to be a shrewd move.Here are three reasons Southampton should make Sisto their top January target…

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16/11/2017 | 01:45pmAccording to Sport, former Spanish champions Valencia are considering a January move for Everton forward Sandro Ramirez.What’s the story?Everton won the race to sign Sandro from Malaga during the summer, with the Spaniard moving to Goodison Park for £5.2m on a four-year contract.It would be fair to say that there was plenty of excitement surrounding the 22-year-old, who scored 14 La Liga goals during the 2016-17 campaign.Sandro, who is valued at £9m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has really struggled to settle in England, however, starting just three Premier League matches and failing to find the back of the net for the Toffees.The former Barcelona youngster is believed to be keen on returning to Spain in the January transfer window, and according to Sport, Valencia lead the race as they look to build on what has been a very impressive start to the 2017-18 campaign.Indeed, Los Che are second to Barcelona in La Liga after 11 matches of the new season.Why is Sandro struggling at Everton?It was always going to take time for Sandro to settle in the Premier League, and the circumstances surrounding the early stages of his Everton career have not exactly been ideal.Indeed, the Spaniard joined a team that had signed a number of new players, and when things started to go wrong for Ronald Koeman, Sandro’s chances of action evaporated.Having represented Barcelona’s first team on 32 occasions, there is no question that Sandro has ability, but his temperament is yet to be discovered when it comes to a battle.Much will depend on the new manager at Everton, and who arrives might well determine whether Sandro has a future at Goodison Park.Koeman was not exactly shy in revealing that he wanted to sign a recognised centre-forward during the summer, but a failed move for Olivier Giroud saw Sandro selected as the lone striker in the early weeks, which was always going to be difficult.Sandro’s numbers this season are not exactly impressive, but he deserves time to make his mark at Goodison Park.

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4/10/2017 | 03:01pmAccording to reports in Spanish publication AS, via Sport Witness, Everton are ‘very interested’ in signing out-of-favour Atletico Madrid striker Kevin Gameiro during the January transfer window, but Toffees fans are divided on a potential deal for a player they were also linked with last month.The report says that the La Liga giants are considering selling the Frenchman and Nicolas Gaitan in the New Year as they look to prepare for the arrival of Diego Costa, and it is news that will have alerted the under-fire Ronald Koeman.The pressure is building on the Dutchman following a disappointing start to the season, and he will be frustrated that the club didn’t sign the Romelu Lukaku replacement he wanted during the summer transfer window.Everton supporters were quick to have their say on the latest rumour via social media, and they were divided with their opinions on the 30-year-old, who has played just 27 minutes of football this season.While some “would love to see this happen”, others believe the 30-year-old is “another second-rate player”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Is Athletico Madrid’s Kevin Gameiro interested in Everton in January .. I very much doubt it ..— brian anjo (@Brian_Anjo) October 3, 2017Until we sign him I'm not interested. Sick getting our hopes up to be let down— debbie (@debbiewright197) October 3, 2017Can he play number 10?— Mike (@Mike187819) October 3, 2017Would love to see this happen— Mark Doughty (@markdoughty88) October 3, 2017Too small to fit our playstyle, will end up like sandro— Joe (@IdrissaMagic) October 3, 2017Don't get carried away he's not doing it there anymore, another second rate player, thought mosh was going for the best, ambition??— kieron hynes (@kieronhynes) October 3, 2017Yes please!— Zachary Robb (@zachary_robb) October 3, 2017Would be a HUGE signing— Garrison Ball (@FIRECBJ) October 3, 2017Too little, too late.— Craig Rimmer (@_cr_90) October 3, 2017

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2/11/2017 | 09:30amTottenham Hotspur beat the Champions League holders Real Madrid 3-1 at Wembley on Wednesday night to qualify for the knockout stages of the competitions, and Spurs fans were understandably ecstatic.Mauricio Pochettino’s men came into the clash against the La Liga giants on the back of a 1-1 draw in the Bernabeu a fortnight ago, and they perhaps couldn’t have dreamt that they would perform so well on their own patch.The north London outfit dominated the match from start to finish and a brace from Dele Alli – who was making his first appearance in the Champions League this season following suspension – was added to by a goal from Christian Eriksen to wrap up a relatively comfortable victory.Tottenham supporters were quick to have their say on the historic win via social media, and while one simply said “give us the trophy now”, another said “never thought I’d see this”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…I need to change my pants— ㅤ (@G0Spurs) November 1, 2017I LOVE THIS CLUB— Jack 🔥 (@jretchford_) November 1, 2017Can we play them every week?— Anton (@NowhereFast91) November 1, 2017Never thought I’d see this. WHAT A NIGHT— Ben Burrell (@benburrell) November 1, 2017GIVE US THE TROPHY NOW @ChampionsLeague— ㅤ (@DeleAllington) November 1, 2017What a performance. What a win. Congratulations to all the lads #THFC 👏👏. A deserved victory as well. A night to live in the memory 😀— Luke Jack Conlaund (@ConlaundLuke) November 1, 2017Best night ever #coys— GRAHAM RIDER (@grarid) November 1, 2017Beautiful…. simply beautiful…#coys— TCSIO (@TangoCharlieSIO) November 1, 2017Unbelievable tonight lads. I have the biggest smile on my face right now! #COYS!— Judith Burr (@swampduck12) November 1, 2017

Diego Costa won’t be remaining at Chelsea until January and will instead move out on-loan before moving to Atletico Madrid in the new year, The Daily Mail reports.What’s the story?Diego Costa’s fall from grace in the eyes of Antonio Conte has been well publicised and the two-time Premier League winner looks set to end his stint with Chelsea imminently, with Spanish outlet AS stating the striker has returned to Spain and will stay there until his future is resolved.The signing of Alvaro Morata in the summer has reiterated Chelsea’s view that Costa is surplus to requirements and he’s hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge, leaving compatriot Costa out of the frame despite his fellow striker being named in Chelsea’s first-team squad for the first-half of the season.That suggested that Diego Costa could still play a part in Chelsea’s campaign over the course of the coming months before returning to Atletico Madrid in January but The Daily Mail report he could be on his way to Saudi Arabia on-loan instead, joining Al Hilal.Why’s it such a mess?Chelsea really have made a dogs meal out of the situation concerning Diego Costa, which started when Conte decided to inform the Spanish striker that he’s surplus to requirements via text- a precedent for the shambles that followed.Atletico Madrid, handed a transfer ban until 2018, couldn’t finalise a move in the summer window but Costa has refused to return to West London, staying in Brazil before flying his family out to Madrid in the past week- where AS say the striker has now joined them.Both parties are guilty of mismanagement in this situation but it definitely casts a rotten picture of Chelsea, which could prove to be problematic should things go wrong this season- and it may even put players off joining the Premier League champions.

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2/11/2017 | 10:30amTottenham Hotspur recorded a famous 3-1 win against Champions League holders Real Madrid at Wembley on Wednesday night, and Spurs fans were quick to praise two-goal hero Dele Alli.The 21-year-old was making his first appearance in the competition this season after sitting out the previous three matches through suspension, and he took just 27 minutes to give his team the lead when he finished from close range.The England international added a second 11 minutes after half-time when his strike deflected off of Sergio Ramos and into the net, with Christian Eriksen wrapping up the three points nine minutes later.Having struggled for form so far this term – and after missing a decent chance in the 1-0 loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday – this could be the catalyst for Alli to return to his very best.Tottenham supporters were quick to have their say on his performance via social media, and while one described him as “the best player on the pitch”, another said it was “the best individual performance I’ve seen in the flesh”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…What a result! Dele Alli is back! #COYS— Sean Logue (@SeanLogue1) November 1, 2017Dele Alli is the King. What is he the King of, you ask? Of any damn place or thing that he wants, that’s what! #COYS #THFC— Jared Kozal (@jkozal) November 1, 2017Who’s your MOTM? Its difficult, but I’m going for Dele Alli. Total performance 👏 #COYS— Zeus #COYS (@superspurs34) November 1, 2017Alli was immense tonight. Was due a good game! #COYS— Jack Perkins (@MrJPerkins) November 1, 2017Alli making up for a bad miss against United, best player on the pitch #TOTRMA #COYS— Nairobi Newsam (@NairobiNewsam) November 1, 2017Alli tonight is the best individual performance I've seen in the flesh, against the best team in the world as well, incredible player.— Stephen (@SvenMorty) November 1, 2017That’s the way to shut them up what a performance 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #coys— H Zand (@Kengo61) November 2, 2017

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4/10/2017 | 04:45pmAccording to reports on Transfermarketweb, Tottenham Hotspur are target a January move for out-of-favour Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes, who the Daily Mirror says is rated at £18m.What’s the word, then?Well, Transfermarketweb says that the Portugal international could exit the La Liga giants on loan or even on a permanent deal in the New Year, and while Spurs are keen they could face competition from the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and AS Monaco.Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports that the 24-year-old could leave on a loan deal with a view to a permanent £18m move having struggled to get game time under new Barca boss Ernesto Valverde this term.Why do Tottenham want him?While he has struggled to make an impression with Barcelona after competing with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic in the middle of the park, Gomes has still shown glimpses of what he is capable of and he was extremely impressive at Valencia beforehand.The Portugal international has featured for just 110 minutes this term, with just 28 of those coming in La Liga, but he is a tall and versatile performer who can play in a variety of midfield roles and that is something that will appeal to Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.Would he be a good signing?Despite struggling to make an impression this season, Gomes did make 47 appearances in all competitions for Barca last term and the fact that he can play in a defensive or central midfield role – or even out wide – mean that he could be an effective performer for Tottenham.According to WhoScored.com, one of his main strengths is his dribbling ability, and his qualities on the ball should mean that he fits effortlessly into the current Spurs side.Considering Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele have struck up such a strong relationship in the middle of the park, it would be difficult to see how Andre Gomes would break that partnership up though, but the competition he would provide would certainly keep all three players at the top of their respective games.What’s the verdict, then?Well, while Gomes could prove to be a bargain buy if he can be purchased for £18m in the current market, the price could mean that Tottenham face a lot of competition for his signature.

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16/11/2017 | 05:20pmNewcastle United have started the season well as they are in touching distance of the top 10 after 11 Premier League games.Rafael Benitez’s team stormed to the Championship crown last season with goals aplenty, but they are lacking that attacking threat in the top flight.So far, the team have scored just 10 goals in the division and they have failed to find the back of the net in their last two matches, both of which they lost.Recently, The Mirror reported that Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres is keen to return to the Premier League, with Newcastle and Southampton as possible options.The 33-year-old has had limited game time at the Vicente Calderon this season having started just two matches in all competitions.Torres made a name for himself at Liverpool, but his form dwindled when he left the Reds to join Chelsea in 2011 for £50m.Newcastle legend Alan Shearer told bookmakers Coral that the striker would be a good addition to Benitez’s team, and now the fans have had their say. pic.twitter.com/M4IZ6XpxMl— Jaz340 (@Jaz340) November 16, 2017Is he not past his sell by date, esp’ for the Prem! #Torres— Jona (@JonaOnDrums) November 16, 2017I completely agree with @alanshearer that Torres would be a great signing if take over doesn’t happen.Would he get a lot more opportunities than Joselu?Probably not but how many goals would Joselu have scored with Torres finishing? #NUFC #Torres— Andy… (@Andy_Raine) November 16, 2017Never say never.— thereal andrew young (@temperamentalan) November 16, 2017Think big al been heading to many balls— Nick (@soggydishcloth) November 16, 2017Better than what we have at the minute but not the answer …… maybe 10 years ago— paul (@toonislife) November 16, 2017Can’t do any harm for short term.— Steve Bell (@NUFCSteveB) November 16, 2017Don't know what anyone else thinks but I'd take Fernando Torres on loan! #NUFC— @P (@MrPea13) November 16, 2017

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2/11/2017 | 12:00pmTottenham Hotspur qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare following a brilliant 3-1 win against the holders Real Madrid at Wembley on Wednesday night, and Spurs fans were full of praise for the performance of Kieran Trippier.The 27-year-old started at right wing-back ahead of summer signing Serge Aurier, and he was outstanding at both ends of the pitch as a brace from Dele Alli and a goal from Christian Eriksen wrapped up a deserved win on a night that Mauricio Pochettino’s men dominated the La Liga giants.Trippier provided the assist for the opening goal when his first-time cross from Harry Winks’ pass was turned home by Alli, and the former Burnley man impressed with his delivery from the right throughout the 90 minutes.Tottenham supporters were quick to have their say on his showing via social media, and while one described it as his “best game in a Spurs shirt”, another said “if you don’t rate Trippier then I seriously pity you”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Trippier dazzling on Europe's top table last night, what a performance and what a season he is having. #COYS#THFCpic.twitter.com/MfMFg2Djf8— Last Word On Spurs🎙 (@LastWordOnSpurs) November 2, 2017A few slices of humble pie being eaten this morning for many. Long-term scapegoat, Kieran Trippier outstanding ‘again’ last night 👊🏻 #COYS— Ben Harris (@thisisbenharris) November 2, 2017Trippier’s best game in a Spurs shirt tonight. Excellent going forward, and kept Ronaldo in his pocket. Well played, @trippier2! 👏🏻 #COYS— Harry Hotspur (@HarryHotspurWHL) November 2, 2017Trippier outstanding along with Dele and Kane (amazing hold up play). Back 3 superb and Dier is such a leader. The future is Spurs #coys— Dom K (@dom_k) November 1, 2017Brilliant to see Kieran Trippier finally getting the deserved recognition from Spurs fans. Brilliant player with a brilliant attitude #COYS— George Poole (@GeorgePuddle) November 1, 2017If you don’t rate Trippier then I seriously pity you, I know he isn’t the best at the back but going forward he is incredible #COYS— Nad (@nad_THFC) November 1, 2017Also, Trippier was extraordinary. His delivery, often first time, was fantastic. #COYS— Roberto Kusabbi (@RKTweets) November 1, 2017Kieran Trippier saves his best ever Tottenham performance for tonight, incredible display where so many doubted the bloke. 👏🏻 #COYS#THFC pic.twitter.com/D8B3aUNNfu— Ricky Sacks 🎙 (@RickSpur) November 1, 2017I doubted Trippier playing over Aurier and he shut me right up. I wouldn't have it any other way. Masterclass from Trips #COYS— Herbo (@HerbMcDerb) November 1, 2017

Liverpool’s hopes of retaining Philippe Coutinho’s services beyond the January transfer window have received a huge boost as Barcelona have set their sights elsewhere, according to Sport.What’s the word?The future of Liverpool’s Brazilian starlet Philippe Coutinho was one of the biggest sagas of the summer transfer window and the general expectation was that Barcelona’s crusade to bring the South American to the Nou Camp would commence once again in January.It’s no secret that Coutinho wanted to move to Catalonia but Liverpool held firm with their monstrous demands, aware that Barcelona had plenty of cash to spend after the world-record sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.Whilst speculation persists on Coutinho’s future, Sport reports Barcelona will not return in the new year and will instead set their sights on securing the signature of OGC Nice midfielder Jean-Michel Seri; widely regarded as the ‘new Xavi’.Will Coutinho stay?Whilst this does hand a boost to Liverpool’s attempts to keep Philippe Coutinho for the long-term, it doesn’t necessarily bring an end to the saga. Coutinho made it clear he wanted to leave and could push for an exit next year, particularly after the World Cup.He’ll also be likely to jump ship if Liverpool fail to secure Champions League football again next season, which is a stern test for Jurgen Klopp’s side due to the wealth of competition in the Premier League, and at 25 he may feel it’s time to take the next step.However, the fact that he’s no longer considered their priority target means that Liverpool should have more time to prepare for the Brazilian’s exit- or even persuade the South American starlet to commit his future to the Merseyside outfit and snub a move to La Liga.

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16/11/2017 | 06:55pmManchester United are interested in signing Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler, according to The Independent.What’s the story?United manager Jose Mourinho is believed to be keen on bringing in a winger after missing out on signing Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic in the summer.The Independent claims that 20-year-old Soler is on the Portuguese coach’s list, and even though he is still young, the Red Devils will be expected to pay in the region of £40m.Andreas Pereira, who is currently on loan at the Spanish outfit, could reportedly be included in a player-plus-cash deal.With the futures of certain players, including Marouane Fellaini, in doubt, Soler is likely to be added to the first-team squad.How good is he?A player at his age is usually pushing for first-team minutes rather than featuring regularly in a competitive side.So far this season, Soler has made 11 La Liga appearances and has found the back of the net on one occasion.The youngster, who can also play centrally in midfield, has created four assists in Spain’s top flight.United have dropped eight points behind rivals Manchester City in the table, and even though they remain well positioned to challenge for the title, injuries have hampered them.If Soler was to move to Old Trafford, his potential could be huge, but he may take time to settle and adapt to English football.

According to Marca (via talkSPORT), Newcastle are keen on signing Barcelona ‘keeper Jasper Cillessen, who may be available at for as little as £9million in January.What’s the Story?Reports in Spain are suggesting that Barcelona Jasper Cillessen is one of a number of players that the Catalan club are looking to sell in January, in a bid to reduce the wage budget.Such is their desire to let a number of their fringe players leave, reports state Barcelona will be happy to accept a bid of just £9million for the experienced ‘keeper.Newcastle have been on the hunt for a new first choice stopper for the last few months, with Rob Elliot currently occupying that position at St James’ Park. It is thought that Rafael Benitez would be very keen to bring Cillessen to the club. With a guaranteed place in the starting line-up, the 28-year-old Dutchman would find it hard to turn down the move.How good has Cillessen been this season?Unfortunately, due to Marc Andre Ter-Stegen’s dominance between the sticks for Barcelona, Cillessen has yet to feature for the Spanish giants so far this season.However, the former Ajax man has featured prominently for the Netherlands in their ultimately unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. While not eye-catching, Cillessen demonstrated his confidence and agility when dealing with a number of quality opposition strikers and often helped his country stay competitive with a number of great saves in important matches.Newcastle need a top goalkeeper who has years of international experience under his belt. Looking at the market, there is perhaps no better available option than Jasper Cillessen, who is valued at around £8.1million by Transfermarkt.

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23/10/2017 | 06:00pmManchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira has admitted that he would prefer to spend the remainder of the 2017-18 campaign on loan at Spanish club Valencia.Pereira, 21, went against the wishes of United boss Jose Mourinho to join Valencia on a season-long loan during the summer transfer window.The playmaker has scored once and provided one assist in seven La Liga appearances this season, with his form drawing admiring glances.United have the chance to recall Pereira during the January transfer window, and it is understood that Mourinho is exploring that possibility due to his injury problems in midfield.Pereira, however, has revealed that he wants to spend the whole season with Valencia before returning to Old Trafford ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.Pereira told AS:“When I signed, I knew that this clause existed. But now I am calm, focused on Valencia. Nobody called me from Manchester.“I’m calm, if they want them to go back they’ll call. I want to stay here for the whole season because I’m fit, I feel good… If I had to go back it would be difficult again.”Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba and Michael Carrick are all currently on the sidelines for United, who suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season away to Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon.Scott McTominay, who benefited from Pereira’s departure, could be given the chance to impress when United visit Swansea City in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night.

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2/11/2017 | 03:20pmOn Wednesday night, Tottenham Hotspur sent a very clear message that they mean business in the Champions League.Mauricio Pochettino’s team already proved that they can hold their own against elite opposition when they restricted Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.At Wembley, though, the players took a step forward by sealing a 3-1 victory over Zinedine Zidane’s side, which also sent the club into the last 16 of the competition.Dele Alli, who had missed the first three group games due to a UEFA ban, scored twice before Christian Eriksen wrapped it up.In the end, Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal was solely a consolation for the Spanish giants, who have lost back-to-back games for the first time under Zidane since January.Osvaldo Ardiles, who is widely regarded as a Tottenham legend, delivered his verdict of the match on Twitter, and pointed out a key difference between the two clubs.The difference: we were a Team. Fighting for each other. Helping. Going the extra mile. Real: a collection of very talented individuals. COYS— osvaldo ardiles (@osvaldooardiles) November 2, 2017Spurs have two more group games to play before they take on the first knockout round of the competition.

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4/9/2017 | 05:53amReal Madrid playmaker Isco was the star of the show for Spain as they closed in on automatic qualification for the 2018 World Cup with a 3-0 win against Italy on Saturday, and his showing certainly didn’t go unnoticed by Arsenal fans.The 2010 world champions lined up without a recognised striker and the 25-year-old was given a more attacking role as a result, and he certainly didn’t let his nation down by scoring a brace as well as proving to be a constant menace for the likes of Marco Verratti.He curled a brilliant free-kick beyond Gianluigi Buffon in the opposition goal in the 13th minute before he doubled Spain’s advantage five minutes before half-time with another strike from outside the penalty area.Arsenal supporters were quick to have their say on Isco’s performance via social media, and many believe that he would be the ideal successor to Santi Cazorla when the Spaniard moves on.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…An ambitious board at Arsenal would've bid for Isco, when they just had him sitting on the bench like a sideman— It's A Lot 🇯🇲🇮🇳 (@KingKongCourts) September 3, 2017Was hoping that we would somehow lowkey wind up with Isco at Arsenal but after recent perfermances, forget about it. £150m at least— Hobo_Hustle (@Hobo_Hustle) September 3, 2017Isco is what Arsenal fans think Ramsey is— Tobiloba (@KingYormidey) September 3, 2017Would take isco over ozil & ramsey all day long— THE ARSENAL CIRCUS (@DazAuto15) September 3, 2017We should have signed Isco while he was at Malaga— Speedy (@MiaSanArsenal) September 3, 2017Isco is a brilliant replacement for Cazorla. Needs to come Arsenal— Serdz (@_serdz) September 3, 2017Isco is the perfect replacement for Santi Carzola. #Arsenal— King Xhaka-Laka-Boom (@Eternal_Gooner) September 2, 2017

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5/10/2017 | 02:30pmTottenham Hotspur are willing to discuss the possibility of a new contract for Harry Kane following reported interest from Real Madrid, according to The Gambling Times.What’s the word?Kane has been hitting the headlines of late for his prolific form, which has seen him score 13 goals for club and country in September alone.The 24-year-old has proven that he can stand out on the European stage as well as domestic by netting a hat-trick – his sixth in 2017 – during a recent victory over APOEL in the Champions League.It seems that Spanish giants Real Madrid have taken note, and according to Don Balon, the club are prepared to splash £177m on the striker.The Gambling Times report that this has caused Tottenham to rethink their position and are even considering opening talks over a new contract with Kane, despite the forward putting pen to paper on a fresh five-year deal just 10 months ago.Will wages be a problem?It is well known now that the North London club pay fairly modest wages compared to the so-called ‘big’ clubs of the Premier League.The London Evening Standard claims that Kane and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris are the highest earners among the Spurs squad on around £100,000 per week.It is highly likely that Madrid would offer a more lucrative salary if Kane was to have his head turned.It is worth stressing that the striker has made no public suggestions that he is considering a move to the Bernabeu, but if it came down to money, then Spurs could have a problem.Chairman Daniel Levy is a shrewd businessman, but he may need to rethink his pay structure in order to keep the club’s best player.Tottenham have an advantage over Madrid in that Kane worked his way through the club’s academy, therefore has an emotional connection to Spurs.However, the hitman is ambitious and no-one could blame him for following in Gareth Bale’s footsteps in search of silverware.

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3/11/2017 | 05:22pmAccording to reports in the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as Real Madrid’s top target to replace Zinedine Zidane if the Frenchman fails to last the course of the season.What’s the word, then?Well, despite lifting the La Liga trophy and becoming the first club to win the Champions League in successive seasons last term, the Daily Mail says Zidane is under pressure at the Bernabeu for the first time in 19 months with his team making a poor start to the campaign.After 10 Spanish top flight matches they are already eight points behind Barcelona after drawing two and losing two this term, while they have dropped four points against Tottenham in the Champions League including their 3-1 defeat against Spurs at Wembley on Wednesday night.The Daily Mail says that Pochettino is seen as the long-term solution to Real’s current problems, with president Florentino Perez having a great relationship with the Argentine after referring to him as ‘My Poch’ before their draw in Spain’s capital last month.The report adds that he would prove to be a popular addition after saying he could never coach their arch-rivals Barcelona having played for and managed Espanyol.Should Tottenham fans be worried?It’s difficult to say.While Pochettino will no doubt be flattered to be linked with the La Liga giants, it is unclear whether he would be willing to leave Tottenham given the impressive project he is building and that fact he clearly loves the north London outfit.With stars like Harry Kane and Dele Alli at his disposal he may feel that he has a good chance of winning both the Premier League and Champions League with Spurs, and he could turn down Real as Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has on three occasions, according to the Daily Mail.That said, the promise of a bigger budget and the likelihood of winning more trophies could prove to be tempting, even if he is loved by his current players and the supporters.What’s the verdict, then?Well, there is no doubt that if Zidane goes in the near future Pochettino will be one of the favourites to replace him, and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and the fans will be praying that he isn’t tempted by the opportunity to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world.

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3/11/2017 | 10:30pmThere is a tendency in the football world for players to be linked with moves away once they start performing well at their respective clubs.Harry Winks has become one of those individuals as the London Evening Standard reports that Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has been left impressed by the midfielder.The Barca chief is believed to have been in the stands when the 21-year-old helped Spurs earn a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu earlier this month in the Champions League.Winks was one of the stars of the show, and the midfielder put on another decent display when the team defeated Los Blancos 3-1 at Wembley on Wednesday.The report does not state that Barcelona will swoop any time soon for the homegrown talent, but with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli also getting linked elsewhere, it is no big surprise that Winks would attract similar interest.Tottenham fans, though, do not seem worried about the speculation.I for one am not going to lose a Winks sleep over who Barcelona fancy from us this week! 💤😂👌🏽— Rico Hernandez Suavé (@FormallyRicky) November 3, 2017We're not gonna have any players left, Tom— Matt (@majdeano85) November 3, 2017the stuff that gets made up is hilarious. Just when u think uv heard it all 🙈.— Danny Clark (@TheMilkyBarYid) November 3, 2017More lazy journalism 🙂— Newquay Branch (@Newquay_branch) November 3, 2017Ha ha and so it begins 🤣— Rubbsey40 (@rubbsey40) November 3, 2017Tom you seem a reasonable man in the 'media' can you just summarise for me? Poch Alli Kane to Madrid Eriksen Winks to Barca Rose to Manchester have I missed anything? #THFC— James Cooper (@JimmyBCooper) November 3, 2017Here we go, another impressive result & the media are trying to sell Harry Winks to Barca & Poch is off to Madrid. Bore off ffs😴 #THFC #COYS— Cory Clark (@coryscoys) November 3, 2017

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3/11/2017 | 10:00pmTottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks has caught the eye of Barcelona, according to the London Evening Standard.What’s the story?There is no denying that Winks has caused many football figures to stand up and take notice.The 21-year-old put in stellar displays in both Champions League group games against Real Madrid.The London Evening Standard reports that Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez attended Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Madrid at the Bernabeu, initially casting an eye over Christian Eriksen.However, the Barcelona man, as well as some of his colleagues who was at the reverse fixture at Wembley, were reportedly impressed by Winks.Should Tottenham fans be worried?There are no indications that Barca are seriously considering a move for the Tottenham midfielder.If anything were to transpire, it may not be the wisest decision for Winks to move to the Camp Nou at this stage of his career.The youngster has had to be patient after making his first-team debut last season, but due to some injuries in midfield, Winks has proven to manager Mauricio Pochettino that he deserves to be in the squad.So far in the 2017-18 campaign, the England international, who can play as a deep-lying midfielder, has made 12 appearances in all competitions.Winks may be attracting some of the world’s biggest clubs, but under Pochettino’s guidance, there is no better place for the player to continue developing.The manager has shown that he gives deserving young players a chance at the top level, and that is something that the midfielder may not receive if he moves to Spain.

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14/9/2017 | 12:00pmLiverpool drew 2-2 with Sevilla in their opening Champions League group game at Anfield on Wednesday night, and Reds fans were furious with defender Dejan Lovren for his latest below-par performance.The centre-back returned to the starting line-up in place of Ragnar Klavan following Jurgen Klopp’s men’s 5-0 defeat against Manchester City on Saturday, but he was at fault for the La Liga outfit’s fifth-minute opener.The Croatia international looked certain to clear Sergio Escudero’s low cross from the left, but he fell over and the ball went under his foot with Wissam Ben Yedder on hand to tap home.The hosts regained control of the game through goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, but the Brazilian missed the chance to give his team a two-goal advantage when he missed a penalty just before the break.Questionable defending from Lovren and centre-back partner Joel Matip saw Joaquin Correa score the equaliser and Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on the former’s poor performance via social media, with some saying the time is now surely up on his career with the Merseyside outfit.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…No more excuses for Lovren #lfc— Marc Carter-Selwood (@MarcSelwood) September 14, 2017Defensively poor again last night, with Lovren a complete shambles. I can't see a reason why we wouldn't give Gomez a run at CB. #LFC— Remco Buckley (@remcobuckley) September 14, 2017Surely now #Lovren is done in an #LFC shirt? It's too late but enough is enough! #liability #donkey— Karl Henton (@KHenton) September 14, 2017Gomez needs to learn his trade at CB. Klavan isn't good enough to be 3rd choice and Lovren is beyond help. #LFC— Red Rivelino (@RedRivelino) September 14, 2017I really don't see Lovren getting a start again for this club, times up, not good enough. #lfc— * (@AnfieldMagic) September 14, 2017Dejan Lovren is #shocking #LFC— Ian Gibson (@OswestryRunner) September 14, 2017Lovren is Pathetic beyond Words.. #LFC— Sushant Chandekar (@sushantchandekr) September 14, 2017Never criticised Lovren badly but sadly enough, He doesn't deserve to start for a club like #LFC for sure. Diabolical defending @LFC— Kloppo Man (@TheRedOpinion) September 14, 2017Lovren and Henderson need to be binned if we're going to progress and challenge for trophies. Neither of them are good enough #LFC— Yimmy (@YimmyDrisc93) September 14, 2017

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19/11/2017 | 05:42pmAccording to reports in The Sun on Sunday, Manchester United are lining up a £136m double move for Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann.What’s the word, then?Well, The Sun on Sunday says that Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho hasn’t been out off making a move for Bale despite his injury problems and the fact that he has missed 40% of Real’s games since joining them from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013.Meanwhile, The Sun on Sunday also says they have also reopened talks with Atletico over a deal for long-term target Griezmann, with representatives from both clubs meeting to discuss a potential move during the international break.The report adds that Spurs have first refusal on a deal to bring Bale back to the Premier League, and it is a transfer that could happen sooner rather than later seeing as the 28-year-old isn’t a popular figure among the Bernabeu faithful.Why does Mourinho want the duo?Despite Bale’s injury problems, the Wales international has scored 70 goals in 159 games for the La Liga giants and he would add some much-needed pace, strength and directness across the frontline for the Red Devils.Meanwhile, Griezmann has endured a disappointing start to the season by his own estimations but his record of 86 goals in 173 outings in all competitions for Atletico – as well as 19 goals in 49 caps for France – has seemingly convinced Mourinho that he could add a new dimension to his side’s attack.Could they really sign both?It’s difficult to say.Considering they already have the likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku it would be hard to argue that they need both, but if Mourinho believes they could make a significant difference it could happen.Both players would want regular first-team football and probably guaranteed starts though, and it could leave the Portuguese boss with a selection headache and perhaps even having to change his current preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.What does seem far more unlikely however is that United could buy both for £136m, considering some of the transfer prices we have seen banded about in the last year or so.

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4/11/2017 | 11:00amAccording to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid are hopeful of beating Barcelona to the signature of Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho during the January transfer window.What’s the story?If it were up to Coutinho, the Brazilian international would currently be turning out in the famous Barcelona shirt.Indeed, the 25-year-old, who is valued at £58.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, did his best to engineer a move to Camp Nou during the summer transfer window, even handing in a transfer request at Anfield.Liverpool would not play ball, however, with the Reds consistently rejecting bids from Barcelona as Coutinho stayed on Merseyside beyond the end of the transfer window.It is thought that Barcelona will return with a fresh bid in January, but according to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid are hoping to jump above their rivals in the queue.The report claims that the Spanish and European champions have already made initial contact with Liverpool as they look to secure what would be a spectacular deal.Why are Real Madrid so keen?It would have been easy for Coutinho to sulk at Liverpool in the early stages of the 2017-18 campaign, but the Brazilian has scored four times and provided three assists in nine appearances for the Reds this season.It remains to be seen whether the former Inter Milan playmaker is an elite footballer, but there is no question that he would improve what is a wounded Real Madrid.Los Blancos failed to replace the likes of James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata during the summer, and Zinedine Zidane’s side have now lost their last two games in all competitions – 2-1 at Girona last weekend and 3-1 at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.Real Madrid are in desperate need of some fresh blood in the final third of the field, and Coutinho could easily slot into one of the wide positions for the capital giants.Liverpool are expected to hold out for in excess of £100m for Coutinho, and a spectacular battle for his services between the two powerhouses of Spanish football could well be about to take place.

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4/11/2017 | 10:45amAccording to Don Balon, Manchester United will move for Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.What’s the story?Despite being just 21 years of age, Asensio is already one of the most valuable players in European football.The Spain international scored 10 times in 38 appearances for Real Madrid during the 2016-17 campaign, and has already netted six goals in 17 appearances this term.The attacker only signed a new long-term contract with the Spanish and European champions in September, but according to Don Balon, Asensio’s deal includes a release clause of £75m, which has attracted the interest of Man United.It seems unlikely that Asensio would be interested in leaving Real Madrid at this stage of his career, but there is no smoke without fire, and Man United certainly have the credentials to entice the brilliant attacker to Old Trafford at the end of the season.Could Man United really sign him?It could be argued that any player that leaves Real Madrid is stepping down a level, but Man United are one of the few clubs in world football that can match up to Los Blancos.Should the Red Devils activate the £75m release clause, it would be up to Asensio to decide whether he wanted to try his hand in the Premier League.According to Don Balon, Asensio is a little concerned with his lack of starts this season. Indeed, the Spaniard has actually only played 45 minutes of Champions League football this term.Real Madrid might be the holders of the Spanish title and European crown, but Zinedine Zidane’s side have struggled in recent weeks, and it promises to be a fascinating few weeks at the Bernabeu.There is no question that Real Madrid will be desperate to keep Asensio, but it would be up to the player if Man United were prepared to spend £75m next summer.

As the north London derby in the English capital came to a close, it was time for the Spanish capital to take centre stage. No fewer than three La Liga games took place in Madrid on Saturday, and two of them involved the biggest three teams in the country.As Barcelona left Madrid to fly back home after beating Leganes 3-0, they would have passed the Wanda Metropolitano on the way to the airport. There, Atletico Madrid welcomed Real to their new home for the very first time.There was to be only one winner. Barcelona.A drab 0-0 was played out as both sides were fearful of losing, and that makes sense. It’s one thing to lose to your city rivals, but it’s quite another to lose to that rival and be dumped out of the title race as a result. In truth, though, the cagey draw may well have had a similar effect.What that means now is that Barcelona are ten points clear of their two big rivals, and look like they might well have a title race played out between themselves and Valencia, not the double European champions Real Madrid. For Chelsea and Spurs, too, it might not mean all that much: if the Madrid clubs are going to spend the rest of their season focusing on European glory, they’ll both have to hope for miracles.For Real, they’ll need Tottenham to slip up twice, once against Borussia Dortmund and once against APOEL in order to top the group, whilst Atletico will be hoping for two slip-ups from Chelsea if they’re to go through at all. That now looks nigh-on impossible, though Qarabag away is hardly the nicest trip for the English champions to have to make.But the big effect on English clubs might well come in the spring.Whilst Atletico Madrid may not be in the Champions League – they may be in the Europa League where they can draw Arsenal or possibly even Celtic – you’d have to expect that Real Madrid will be. And by finishing second in the group, they could face a game against any of the English group-toppers who aren’t Tottenham: Chelsea can still finish first, whilst Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool are all still in good positions to do so.Despite the lack of form that Zinedine Zidane’s side have shown so far this season, they still may not be a team you want to draw. Indeed, coming second in the group stage isn’t evidence of being a bad team but of being in bad form. By the spring, they may well have rectified that. They are due a purple patch.A big day of football in the Spanish capital, then, had repercussions in Barcelona and potentially even effects in Britain’s cities, too. The further Ernesto Valverde’s Blaugrana pull away from the rest in La Liga, the more emphasis that puts on Real Madrid compensating for their domestic failings in Europe. And no-one should forget how dangerous they can be.Chelsea, Liverpool and the Manchester clubs will still want to avoid them.

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25/10/2017 | 09:30amReal Madrid president Florentino Perez has told Cadena COPE that the club have not contemplated making a move for Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane.What’s the word?It was only a few weeks ago when Spanish outlet Diario Gol reported that Madrid were gathering together a three-man swap deal to convince Spurs to sell their striker.The publication claimed that the Spanish giants were willing to offload Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric to get a deal over the line.However, Real president Perez has now played down suggestions that Los Blancos are even interested in the 24-year-old, telling Cadena COPE:“Signing Harry Kane has not passed through my head. He is a great player and in addition he is young. He has many years to progress, but we are delighted with Benzema and with all of the team. I didn’t ask Tottenham’s president [chairman, Daniel Levy] for the price because he would have told me that he [Kane] is worth €250million.”Have we overreacted?There is a tendency in this country for English players to be overhyped, but it is safe to say that Kane is the real deal.The forward has proven that he is not a one-season wonder having won back-to-back Golden Boots in the last two Premier League seasons.Kane has also become a pivotal figure at Tottenham, leading the charge in the club’s recent title campaigns and he is on course to do the same.As it stands, the striker has scored 13 goals in all competitions for the North London club.Is he Real Madrid calibre, though?When multiple Champions League winners and World Cup heroes fill a squad, then a player needs to be at an elite level if he wants to join.Kane has not won a trophy and moving to Madrid, where silverware is the minimum requirement, would be a big step up.However, Gareth Bale was in a similar situation when he moved to the Bernabeu in 2013 and has gone on to win 10 trophies, including three European crowns.Kane has the ability to thrive in Spain, but he is in a comfortable position as the talisman at Spurs having come through the ranks and being regarded as a hero.The striker would find himself in a completely different scenario if he made the move.

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3/9/2017 | 03:47pmManchester United announced on their official website on Saturday that young midfielder Andreas Pereira had joined Valencia on loan after signing a contract extension,but it is a decision that has baffled their fans.The 21-year-old was an impressive performer for the Red Devils during pre-season and his performances obviously haven’t gone unnoticed by the club after they extended his current deal until 2019, with the option of a further year.However, the Brazilian will now spend the current campaign on loan with the La Liga outfit rather than staking his claim for a spot in the starting line-up for Jose Mourinho’s side this term.Man United supporters were quick to have their say on the double announcement via social media, and while they were pleased that he looks set to stay at Old Trafford for at least another couple of years, others were confused by the decision to send him out on loan.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…What a joke— Oliver Riley (@OllRiley_) September 2, 2017Wrong decision …— Jamal Kamal (@jamal_kamal_) September 2, 2017You'll regret this— HERRERA IS ANDERATED (@GABBYR0CKS) September 2, 2017Gutted! Hes gonna give up on us soon!— ●DMC● (@DMUFC58) September 2, 2017Makes me feel a bit better— Lydie (@NyiraLydieMUFC) September 2, 2017Thats some good news at least 😁😁😁— Keiron Gibbons (@Keiron_Gibbons) September 2, 2017Great news!— Anagat (@zlatanagat) September 2, 2017he is better than @JesseLingard— Avinash Singh (@Avinash54336604) September 2, 2017

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25/10/2017 | 04:00pmAccording to reports in The Sun, Everton could be set to double their money on forward Henry Onyekuru if they decide to sell him, despite the fact that he is yet to play for them.What’s the word, then?Well, The Sun says that European giants Juventus and Atletico Madrid want the 20-year-old, who joined the Toffees during the summer but was immediately loaned to Belgian side Anderlecht with the Merseyside outfit unable to get a work permit for him.The Sun says that the Nigeria international cost £7m when moved from KAS Eupen, but he could already be worth double that after impressing for Anderlecht domestically and in the Champions League, and Everton must decide whether to cash in on him.The report adds that Juve are keen after missing out on Keita Balde Diao to Monaco during the summer, while Atletico see the forward as potential long-term replacement for Fernando Torres.How has Onyekuru done this season?The 20-year-old earned his move to Goodison Park after a sensational season with KAS Eupen in which he scored 24 goals and provided a further nine assists in 41 appearances in all competitions, with the majority of those outings coming from the left wing.The Nigerian attacker has quickly shown that he isn’t just a one-season wonder by netting seven times in 15 appearances for Anderlecht this term, and he was unfortunate not to score in the 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League earlier this month after he hit the woodwork.Would Everton really sell him?Considering their current struggles and their apparent need for pace and clinical finishing right now, they would be mad to sell the forward for any price.Onyekuru has already shown the ability he has and he looks to be a real promising player for the future too, meaning the Merseyside outfit should look to keep hold of him.If obtaining a work permit proves to be difficult then they could consider cashing in on the 20-year-old, but it seems unlikely that they will give up that easily on such a talented young player that they had to fight off lots of competition for.

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21/11/2017 | 08:45pmAccording to Don Balon, Real Madrid want to sign Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne in an £89m deal.What’s the story?De Bruyne has been in sensational form for City in the opening months of the 2017-18 campaign – managing four goals and nine assists in 17 appearances in all competitions.The 26-year-old is in his third season with the Citizens following a move from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2015, and his stock has never been higher.According to Don Balon, Real Madrid have identified the Belgium international as the perfect player to boost their squad, and the Spanish and European champions are prepared to pay £89m in order to seal a deal.Real Madrid’s problems this season have been shown by the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have just two league goals between them, whilst Gareth Bale’s continued absence through injury has left Zinedine Zidane’s side light in the final third.Is the move likely to occur?As much as City would like to think that they hold all of the cards, it would be very difficult for De Bruyne to turn down Real Madrid if the Spanish giants came calling.It is not as if De Bruyne grew up supporting City, and whilst he has a contract at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2021, if Real Madrid want to sign him, they will fancy their chances of making it happen.If the Belgian helps City win the Premier League and advance deep into the Champions League this season, he might well decide to move on.It is a very exciting time to play for City, however, and an interesting tug-of-war could take place if Real Madrid do indeed make a move at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.One thing is for sure, De Bruyne is now one of the best playmakers in world football, and Real Madrid are in need of some fresh blood in the final third of the field.

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25/10/2017 | 05:10pmAccording to Don Balon, Manchester United are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.What’s the story?Despite spending £40m on Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic during the summer transfer window, it is understood that United boss Jose Mourinho is still keen to boost his midfield options.Ander Herrera has struggled to make his mark in the absences of Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini, and it has been suggested that the Spaniard could move on at the end of the season.According to Don Balon, Mourinho wants a world-class holding midfielder to play alongside Matic and Pogba, and has identified Real Madrid’s Casemiro as the perfect player to join the club.The report has claimed that United would be willing to offer Casemiro a better salary than he currently collects at the Bernabeu as Mourinho continues to spend big in a bid to return the 20-time English champions to the top of European football.Would Casemiro be worth the money?The 25-year-old has been a first-team regular for Real Madrid since re-joining the club from Porto in the summer of 2015.The 18-time Brazil international made 42 appearances in all competitions last season, and has managed two goals in 12 appearances for the Spanish giants this term.Casemiro actually scored six times for Los Blancos during the 2016-17 campaign, whilst his style of football would certainly work well in the Premier League.It seems unlikely that Real Madrid would sell the defensive midfielder without putting up a fight, but the chance to play in the Premier League might well turn his head.United are well-stocked in midfield when everyone is fit, but the Red Devils do lack a world-class defensive midfielder that can get about the pitch, and Casemiro certainly fits the ball in that respect.

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25/10/2017 | 07:00pmAccording to the Daily Mail, Manchester United want to tie up a £30m deal for Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler ahead of next summer’s transfer window.What’s the story?Soler, 20, is widely regarded as one of the best young talents in Spanish football.The midfielder broke into the Valencia first team last season, and ended the 2016-17 campaign having made 18 appearances in all competitions.The Spain Under-21 international has scored once and provided four assists in nine league appearances this season, meanwhile, helping Los Che to second position in La Liga after a brilliant start to the campaign.According to the Daily Mail, United boss Jose Mourinho is a firm admirer of Soler’s talents, and the Portuguese sees him as the perfect foil for Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic in the middle of the park.Would Valencia let him go for £30m?Soler is contracted to Valencia until the summer of 2021, whilst the fact that the midfielder’s deal includes a £75m buyout seems to place the Spanish side in a strong position when it comes to negotiation.Los Che are not in a position to turn down a big-money offer, however, and it seems likely that United could sign the youngster for a figure in the region of £30m.United will not be the only club interested in a player that boasts excellent statistics this season, but it seems that the 20-time English champions have moved quickly in a bid to hold off any competition.Soler, who came through the youth system at Valencia, could well star for Spain at the 2018 World Cup, and if United have things their way, he will go from Russia to Manchester to link-up with his new teammates.

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22/11/2017 | 11:30amLiverpool missed out on the opportunity to secure their spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League as they surrendered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Sevilla in Spain on Tuesday night, and Reds fans weren’t impressed with captain Jordan Henderson’s performance.Following Spartak Moscow’s draw with Maribor earlier in the evening Jurgen Klopp’s side knew that a win would be enough to take them through to the last 16 with a game to spare, and they looked to be cruising to victory following a first-half brace from Roberto Firmino and goal from Sadio Mane.However, a second-half double from Wissam Ben Yedder and an injury-time equaliser from Guido Pizarro gave the La Liga outfit a point, meaning the race for qualification will go down to the final matchday.While Alberto Moreno didn’t have his best night against his former team, Henderson was equally poor in the middle of the park – as his stats from the night show.Jordan Henderson vs Sevilla55% passing0 take-ons 0 tackles won0 aerial duels won5 fouls1 booking‘Captain’— LFC Stats (@LFCData) November 21, 2017Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on the 27-year-old’s showing via social media and while one said he is the “core of the problem”, another said “how on Earth do some people actually rate Henderson?”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Please forgive me if you don't share the same opinion but Henderson is one of our major problems. Having that captaincy means he can't be benched when fit and that's hella foul. #LFC— StevenGerrard'sSon ™ (@AttaBoi_Westy) November 22, 2017Lovren > Henderson #lfc— MADO #Klopp (@MADeveci17) November 22, 2017Jordan Henderson is simple not good enough to be in the starting lineup, let alone captain. #LFC— Hassan Anfield (@Junior__Agogo) November 22, 2017Core of the problem is Henderson.. as a captain and a leader he isn't good enough.. I personally don't think he is a good enough player for #LFC full stop..— Ian…… (@redian77) November 22, 2017Henderson needs to be replaced ASAP in this team. #LFC— #Blessed 🌞 (@ariez12reds) November 22, 2017How on earth do some people actually rate Jordan Henderson? It’s just baffling, he brings nothing to the side, not captain material and is simply not good enough. #LFC— TheFootballGram_ (@TheFootballGram) November 21, 2017Not a big fan of Henderson .. never have been.. not worthy to wear the red shirt let a lone be captain #lfc— 🅣Ⓡ🅤Ⓢ🅣 Ⓘ🅝 Ⓚ🅛Ⓞ🅟Ⓟ (@TEE_70) November 21, 2017We're sacrificing Emre for Henderson, it'll look like a poor decision in the near future. Just hope Klopp looks for an upgrade on JH, need better. #LFC— Mo (@MomoyoyoLFC) November 21, 2017Henderson put in his worst ever performance tonight when we needed him, Gini was his steady self and Phil isn't a CM, Benega and Co had a free run #LFC— Chris Burn (@redbhoyburn) November 21, 2017

As one of the most in-form players in world football right now, it is no surprise to see Harry Kane’s name being linked with Real Madrid. However, it is the England captain’s latest comments that have seemed to worry some Tottenham fans, who believe he is leaving the door open to a move.Ahead of the Three Lions game against Slovenia, Kane was asked about the Madrid rumours, to which he responded;“I would never say no. I think in football, you never know and you never rule out anything. It is not something that I definitely want to do but it could happen. You just never know.”While it seems unlikely that Kane would walk away from the ongoing project at Tottenham, his quotes may indicate that a call from Real Madrid may prove too hard to resist.Upon hearing the comments, Spurs fans took to Twitter, some of them seemingly very confident, others not so…Stick my neck out, imo Harry Kane will stay at #Spurs for many years to become true legend, breaking appearance & goal records. #COYS #THFC— Alf Love (@alf_love47) October 5, 2017Spurs fans freaking out about Kane 😂😂😂 relax. He is going no where. Trust me #THFC— Trevor Lloyd (@Trevorlloyd92) October 5, 2017Ok so apart from money there is NO REASON for Kane to leave,player said himself he won't leave Tottenham so its all down to Levy if he stays— Abi (@WembleyForTHFC) October 4, 2017If we don't win anything in the next 2/3 seasons Kane will 100% leave and I wouldnt blame him— Cameron (@thfcCam) October 5, 2017If Kane leaves I leave— MasonDee (@MasonDee2419) October 4, 2017I hoped we learned from the sale of Bale. With new stadium and a quality young squad, we should be aiming to bring stars in rather than sell— Archie (@Archie_Tashjian) October 4, 2017

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3/9/2017 | 03:23pmReal Madrid attacking midfielder Isco played a starring role as Spain beat Italy 3-0 in their latest World Cup qualifier on Saturday, and Liverpool fans believe he could be a potential replacement for Philippe Coutinho in the future.Once again playing without a recognised striker, the 25-year-old started in a more advanced role for the 2010 world champions and he made a huge impression by curling a free-kick beyond Gianluigi Buffon in the 13th minute.Things were to get even better for the playmaker five minutes before the interval when he once again scored from outside the penalty area, while he also proved to be a constant menace to Italy midfielder Marco Verratti throughout the match.Coutinho was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona during the summer transfer window and saw a transfer request rejected, but Liverpool supporters believe that Isco should replace him if he goes in the future following his dazzling display for Spain.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…If Real come calling for Coutinho, I'd trade him for Isco.Who's with me? #LFC https://t.co/pdGO7FGYAV— LiverpoolAllDay (@LiverpoolAllDay) September 3, 2017We should have signed Isco. #LFC— Jide✌ (@hevel09) September 2, 2017Dear Klopp, Isco for coutinho next summer come on reds #LFC— Gerald (@oldGHANAempire) September 2, 2017#Isco is such a majestic player. To think only an injury to Bale and Ronaldo have him a place in the team. #LFC should have had him ages ago— Ad Ikram (@darr_a) September 2, 2017Just imagine if Liverpool managed to get their hands on Isco before. Now that's a £200m player.— جاحنزيب (@Jzb06) September 2, 2017Liverpool please just pay up for Isco as an eventual replacement for Coutinho— Ryan Jon Tarrant (@ryan__tarrant) September 2, 2017If Liverpool looking for Coutinho replacement, Isco is the man. Magical— Bayazidbahar (@bayazidbahar) September 2, 2017Isco reminds me so much of @LuchoGarcia14 . Nimble footed— Liverpool Plus (@LiverpoolPlus) September 3, 2017

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29/8/2017 | 11:03pmNeymar has told Brazil teammate Philippe Coutinho that he will not regret Liverpool’s decision to keep Barcelona at bay, according to Estadao.What’s the word?The Catalan giants have been chasing Coutinho all summer, and it has been widely reported that the playmaker is keen to move to the Camp Nou.Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that Coutinho had handed in a transfer request, but so far, Liverpool have stood firm in their stance that he is not for sale.Barcelona have failed to persuade the Reds to discuss a deal after having three bids rejected, the most recent of which the Daily Mail reports was worth £114m.The former Inter Milan star, who is currently on international duty with Brazil, has reportedly been warned off a move to Barcelona by none other than the club’s former player Neymar.According to Brazilian newspaper Estadao, the 25-year-old has told Coutinho that “he won’t regret Liverpool’s decision to keep him away from Barcelona”.Neymar’s relationship with Barca, where he played for four years, has turned sour since he completed a world-record £198m move to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer.Could this make a difference?It is known to be a usual tactic of Barcelona to have their key players speak publicly about transfer targets in a bid to help their cause in trying to sign them.On this occasion, Neymar – albeit no longer a Barcelona player – has done the opposite.If Coutinho regards his fellow countryman as a good friend, then the 25-year-old’s words could make a difference in whether or not he continues pushing for a move to Spain.With the window closing in just two days’ time, it seems more and more likely that the playmaker will be forced to stay at Liverpool.Neymar’s reassurance, though, could help Coutinho adapt his outlook and accept the fact that he may have to remain at Anfield for at least another season.

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6/10/2017 | 04:54pmAccording to an interview with Belgian media outlet Derniere Heure, Barcelona defender Thomas Vermaelen has revealed that he was denied the chance to return to the Premier League with Everton during the summer.What’s the word, then?Well, speaking while on international duty with Belgium, the former Arsenal defender told Derniere Heure that he wanted to leave the Camp Nou during the summer following a season-long loan spell with AS Roma, but the La Liga giants told him he couldn’t leave.The 31-year-old listed the Toffees and Anderlecht as two of the interested clubs, and now he has been left in a situation where he isn’t being picked to play for the first team and isn’t allowed to play for Barcelona B either because he hasn’t been registered, which has left him in the limbo.Everton boss Ronald Koeman had said during the summer that he wanted to bring an experienced left-sided centre-back, who could also cover at left-back, to Goodison Park to cover for the injured Ramiro Funes Mori and it is no surprise that they have been named as one of the teams keen on the Belgian.How did he do during his loan spell with Roma?Having made just 21 appearances in all competitions in his first two seasons with Barcelona because of injury, Vermaelen moved to the Italian capital on loan last term.However, it wasn’t really a fruitful spell as another injury hindered his chances of breaking into the first team and he was often left on the substitutes’ bench.The 31-year-old returned to Spain having made just 12 outings in total, and he would have been keen to secure a permanent move elsewhere.Will Everton still be interested in the New Year?It’s difficult to say.With Funes Mori likely to be out of action until after the January transfer window has closed and with the Toffees struggling at the back in the early stages of the season it could be an option.However, Vermaelen certainly wouldn’t be the younger defender they perhaps need considering they already have Leighton Baines, Ashley Williams and Phil Jagielka in the backline, and his lack of game time and injury record would also be a big concern.

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14/9/2017 | 04:42pmLiverpool’s return to the group stages of the Champions League began with a 2-2 draw against Sevilla at Anfield on Wednesday night, and Reds fans were divided on the performance of left-back Alberto Moreno.Despite coming under criticism and finding himself behind James Milner in the pecking order last season, the Spaniard is being given more of a chance in the side by Jurgen Klopp this season and started against his former team on Wednesday.While he perhaps should have done better from a defensive point of view in the fifth minute when Wissam Ben Yedder gave the visitors the lead after being caught on the wrong side of the forward, he did set up Roberto Firmino for the equalising goal just 15 minutes later.The 25-year-old went on to pick up a yellow card for a poor challenge and was unlucky not to score just before the break in what was an eventful first 45 minutes.Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on Moreno’s showing via social media, and they were divided with their opinions.While some feel that he put in a “top performance”, others described him as a “complete joke”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Alberto Moreno impressed me the most tonight. He's really taken the criticism constructively and brought his A-game. Brilliant. #LFC— Max Generossi (@MaxiGenerossi) September 13, 2017Love seeing Moreno getting praise like he is right now. Always have hoped he'd turn it around and get fans on his side ☺️🔴⚽️ #LFC— Riz (@Riz_1902_BITW) September 13, 2017Thought Moreno was good tonight credit were it's due and lovren was…….lovren #lfc— Andy Barrett (@andrewbarrett70) September 13, 2017Top performance from Alberto Moreno last night 🙌#LFC #YNWA @lfc18alberto pic.twitter.com/VGUX0dk1xH— The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) September 14, 2017I can not believe what I am reading from last nights game… Moreno had a good game ???? 😂😂😂😂 wtf !!!!! The guy is a complete joke 💩 #lfc— Les Riches (@SoireeLes) September 14, 2017I must have been watching a different Moreno last night. Fine going forward. Defensively shambolic…— Matt (@mattlfc6) September 14, 2017Moreno doesn't even know he's a defender. He should be replaced #LFC— Pedro J. Salazar C. (@ppedrossalazar) September 13, 2017I personally don't care what Moreno offers going forward. First and foremost, he is a LB, thus he should be able to defend. He can't! #LFC https://t.co/8lA8jmFoNf— Terence Ramsay (@TerenceRamsay) September 13, 2017Alberto Moreno is the epitome of Klopp's #LFC: manic, unpredictable, erratic & reckless. An attacking force and a defensive liability.— Dale (@dalewetter) September 13, 2017

According to Catalan Radio (via Team Talk), Mesut Ozil is set to snub Manchester United in favour of a move to Barcelona this January.What’s the Story?Mesut Ozil could be on his way to Barcelona, according to reports in Spain. Catalan Radio have reported that a deal has been struck between Arsenal and Barca and the German international will leave the Emirates for around £17.8million.This will come as a blow to Jose Mourinho, who was reportedly looking to add Mesut Ozil to his squad during the winter transfer window.How good has Ozil been this season?Once again, Mesut Ozil has had a somewhat inconsistant season in North London. The 29-year-old shows regular flashes of exceptional skill but is also capable of a very quiet game.The German international has featured in 10 games for the Gunners this campaign, scoring just once and providing three assists for his teammates.Unfortunately, for both club and player, much of the discussion around Ozil is regarding his contract, of which he has yet to renew. It now seems that the World Cup winner will be on his way out of Arsenal in two months time.Would Manchester United be missing out on Ozil?Jose Mourinho, who has worked with Mesut Ozil before, may feel that he can reignite Ozil’s talents and consistency at Old Trafford.While the former Real Madrid man, who is valued at £45million by Transfermarkt, is certainly nowhere near his best form, a move to a club battling for a number of trophies this season may bring back his confidence somewhat.If you’re going to put your hand in your pocket to back a coupon this weekend, hold fire until you’ve seen our recommended Accys! Last week, our Premier League outright win treble with LeoVegas paid out—so we’re having another crack with Tottenham, Newcastle and Palace. We’ve also got a very enticing fourfold from the Championship and League One. Take a look and let us know how you’re placing your money this weekend!

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28/8/2017 | 01:03pmWhen the transfer window is in full flow, shock rumours can emerge, and given that the market is closed for business from this Thursday, the surprising stories are being churned out at a pace.According to Spanish publication Don Balon, the European heavyweights are eyeing Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford as a star for the future.The 19-year-old has already become a fully-fledged first-team player at Old Trafford, despite his young age.Rashford made 32 appearances in the Premier League last season, 16 of which were starts, and he scored five goals and produced one assist.In the current campaign, the forward has featured in all three of the club’s league games so far, creating an assist in the Red Devils 4-0 rout over West Ham United and scoring in Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over Leicester City.Don Balon claims that Barcelona are keen for Rashford to eventually replace Luis Suarez, but they may be forced to spend around £185m to prise him away from Old Trafford.After the speculation emerged in the gossip pages, United fans took to Twitter to give their reactions.In their dreams😤— #I'm MAN UNITED (@Kweku_Paroni) August 28, 2017No— ruth arie (@rut_arie) August 28, 2017Ok. I want my own planet.— ⚫️⚪️🔴Wojtek 🇪🇺 (@Unitedsince1995) August 28, 2017Ok 😂😂😂— Craig Henniker (@craigybott) August 28, 2017lol— Russ (@russnewsham) August 28, 2017@Barcelona hold it right there.no amount of money can make we sell@Rashford cus we have what's it's take to keep our best players.— Kendrick d one (@MondehAugustine) August 28, 2017Barcelona want Rashford, pay £300m then— Nick Morris (@Nickmorris69) August 28, 2017Sell the Nou Camp and u still can't afford him— United20times (@busbyway20) August 28, 2017

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24/11/2017 | 03:43pmReported Everton summer target Cedric Bakambu impressed for Villarreal in their 3-2 win against Astana in the Europa League on Thursday night by scoring twice, and Toffees fans have urged their club to sign the striker.The Sun reported in March that the Merseyside outfit were lining up a summer bid for the DR Congo international, but a move never materialised as they failed to find a replacement for Romelu Lukaku before the transfer window slammed shut.The 26-year-old has certainly been in good form for the La Liga outfit this term though and his brace on Thursday – having only entered the field with 30 minutes left to play – moved him on to 11 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions this season.Everton supporters were quick to react to the centre-forward’s performance via social media, and while one described him as an “absolute beast”, another said he is “the striker Everton should sign in Jan”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Cedric Bakambu is the striker Everton should sign in Jan it's a no brainer— Dieudonne (@DidiM_93) November 23, 2017Bakambu ou um atacante de ofício em janeiro, por favor @Everton— Toffees Brasil (@ToffeesBR) November 23, 2017Bakambu scored another 2 tonight. He was available in the summer but koeman chose to sign three number 10s instead.— Billy The Kid (@ToffeesArentWe) November 24, 2017This team with new additions in January anyone?What players (realistically) should we sign?For me it should be;Sessegnon/ShawZoumaBakambu@EvertonBlueArmy @FinKitch @JPickfxrd @greenallefc RT pic.twitter.com/gdMBHfyzUH— ClassicCalvert (@ClassicCalvert) November 23, 2017Bakambu another striker we should go for. Him with Onyekuru and Bas Dost would be quality— Paul (@iPauloxD) November 23, 2017Said last summer we should sign Bakambu, absolute beast— Dan (@WhatAGueye) November 23, 2017If you’re going to put your hand in your pocket to back a coupon this weekend, hold fire until you’ve seen our recommended Accys! Last week, our Premier League outright win treble with LeoVegas paid out—so we’re having another crack with Tottenham, Newcastle and Palace. We’ve also got a very enticing fourfold from the Championship and League One. Take a look and let us know how you’re placing your money this weekend!

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24/11/2017 | 07:30pmLiverpool have told Philippe Coutinho’s camp that the playmaker will not be sold during the January transfer window, according to Le10 Sport.What’s the word?Coutinho was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer, but despite the Catalan giants’ persistence, the Brazilian was not sold.It has been widely reported that the former Inter Milan star wanted to move to the Camp Nou, but in the end respected Liverpool’s stance.Even though Barcelona were knocked back in the summer, the Spanish outfit are believed to be keen to launch a fresh bid when the transfer window reopens in January.Le10 Sport claims that Barca are wary of Paris Saint-Germain’s interest in Coutinho and hope to sneak in with a deal before any competitors steal their main target.The report adds that Liverpool have told the player’s representatives that a sale is ‘out of the question’.How long can they keep this up?The Reds are in the driving seat given that Coutinho’s contract, which he signed in January, does not include a release clause.However, more often that not, players tend to get their way and it is understandable due to concerns that an unhappy member of the team could affect the dressing room.If these latest reports are true, Liverpool are right to refuse a sale in January because losing a player of Coutinho’s calibre midway through the season could hugely affect how the rest of the campaign pans out.Having said that, in the summer the Merseyside outfit may have to re-think their approach if the Brazilian makes it clear that he wants to join Barcelona.If that becomes the case, the best thing for Liverpool to do is get a deal done as early as possible and then focus on bringing in a replacement.If you’re going to put your hand in your pocket to back a coupon this weekend, hold fire until you’ve seen our recommended Accys! Last week, our Premier League outright win treble with LeoVegas paid out—so we’re having another crack with Tottenham, Newcastle and Palace. We’ve also got a very enticing fourfold from the Championship and League One. Take a look and let us know how you’re placing your money this weekend!

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25/11/2017 | 01:08pmAccording to reports in The Mirror, Manchester United look set to miss out on the signing of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, who will be offered a £350,000-a-week deal to join Barcelona.What’s the word, then?Well, The Mirror says that the La Liga giants are keen to sign the Germany international, whose contract with the Gunners runs out at the end of the season with no new deal close to being finalised.The Mirror says that the 29-year-old will be able to command a huge pay-day next summer, with United boss Jose Mourinho said to be keen on a reunion with the playmaker having worked with him at Real Madrid previously.The fact that Barcelona and not the Red Devils can sign a pre-contract agreement with the player in the New Year could prove to be a problem though, with Mourinho potentially having to look elsewhere for a new No. 10.Why does Mourinho want Ozil?While the Portuguese boss has some decent attacking options in the form of Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he perhaps doesn’t have the elite No. 10 that he would want.Henrikh Mkhitaryan started the season as the first-choice in that position but despite providing five assists in the first three Premier League games this term, he hasn’t registered one since and was dropped from the squad for the games against Newcastle United and FC Basel in the previous week.Ozil has provided 48 assists in 126 top flight outings for Arsenal since joining them from Real Madrid in 2013, and he would be a creative force at Old Trafford.Could United still get him?Well, Arsenal are unlikely to sell the Germany international to a direct Premier League rival in the New Year, and if Ozil wants his future sorted out then rather than at the end of the season then Mourinho looks unlikely to get his man.If you’re going to put your hand in your pocket to back a coupon this weekend, hold fire until you’ve seen our recommended Accys! Last week, our Premier League outright win treble with LeoVegas paid out—so we’re having another crack with Tottenham, Newcastle and Palace. We’ve also got a very enticing fourfold from the Championship and League One. Take a look and let us know how you’re placing your money this weekend!

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26/11/2017 | 05:20amReal Madrid defender Raphael Varane is open to joining Manchester United, according to Don Balon.What’s the word?The France international was linked with a switch to Old Trafford in the summer, but a move failed to materialise.Instead, the 24-year-old’s deal at the Bernabeu was extended by five years.However, Don Balon states that Varane feels under-appreciated at the Spanish outfit and is willing to consider a move to United.It is believed that Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho has promised the Frenchman that he will be a key figure at the North-West outfit if he decides to join.Is this the right call?There is no doubt that Varane would be a welcome addition to a United defence that struggles with injury problems.Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Eric Bailly have all been on the treatment table recently.Varane is comfortable at the top level considering that he has been at the Bernabeu since 2011, but he has never before played in the Premier League.If the former Lens player was to join United, then it could have a detrimental effect on Victor Lindelof, who has struggled for game time already since his switch from Benfica in the summer.The 23-year-old’s last two performances have earned him plaudits from the fans, but his progression could be halted if Varane comes along.If you’re going to put your hand in your pocket to back a coupon this weekend, hold fire until you’ve seen our recommended Accys! Last week, our Premier League outright win treble with LeoVegas paid out—so we’re having another crack with Tottenham, Newcastle and Palace. We’ve also got a very enticing fourfold from the Championship and League One. Take a look and let us know how you’re placing your money this weekend!

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25/8/2017 | 02:55pmAll eyes were on the Champions League draw on Thursday, and the main talking point from the event was the group that Tottenham Hotspur were placed in.Last season’s Premier League runners-up will have to take on Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Apoel in order to make it through to the knockout rounds.Mauricio Pochettino’s side were arguably handed the toughest draw out of the English clubs competing, which also include Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United.The glamour tie is of course the one against Madrid, which will involve a trip to the Bernabeu for Tottenham and a hosting job at Wembley, where the North London outfit will be playing all of their home games this season.Micky Hazard, who represented Spurs between 1993 and 1995, pointed out that former Tottenham players Gareth Bale and Luka Modric are likely to play.The latter was sold to the Spanish club in 2012 following a four-year spell at White Hart Lane, while Bale joined Tottenham for a then world-record £85m fee a year later.Both have gone on to have stunning success in Madrid, and Hazard is excited to see the stars line up against their former club.The 57-year-old amusingly tweeted that Tottenham will be able to have the players back for free.Modric and Bale back at Spurs and no fee lol— Micky Hazard (@1MickyHazard) August 24, 2017

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26/11/2017 | 09:58pmFormer Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista impressed as his current team Valencia drew 1-1 with Barcelona in a top-of-the-table La Liga clash on Sunday, and Gunners fans were quick to have their say on his performance.The 27-year-old made 64 appearances for the north London outfit during two-and-a-half years at the Emirates, but he failed to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI during that time before he was sold to Valencia in August.However, the Brazilian has been in fine form for the Spanish club this term and they currently lie second in the standings having conceded just 12 goals in their 13 league games.Arsenal supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the centre-back, and while one said “still don’t understand why Wenger sold Gabriel”, another said “shame he never really got a chance”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Gabriel Paulista just proves that Arsenal don't work on defending enough in training he's been class since signing for Valencia currently beating Barca 1-0 with 10 mins left— Steve (@goonersteve12) November 26, 2017Gabriel paulista is bossing it at the highest level in spain have we missed out on him?— ARSENAL FC (@wengeroutfans) November 26, 2017Gabriel is doing bits at Valencia this season. Shame he never really got a chance at the Arsenal— goatjic (@StefflonDon10) November 26, 2017Gabriel is doing so well at Valencia. A talented CB who never really got a great run in the team at #afc.— Sam (@samuelJayC) November 26, 2017Still don't understand why Wenger sold Gabriel Paulista #AFC— mohamed (@BremHajji) November 26, 2017

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25/8/2017 | 02:25pmPeter Crouch’s funny side has become evident since he joined Twitter, and he gave quite the humorous reaction to Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League draw.The North London outfit were arguably placed in the hardest group of the elite competition, with Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Apoel.Last season, Mauricio Pochettino’s men failed to get out of the group stage when they were pitted against Monaco, CSKA Moscow and Bayer Leverkusen.They performed poorly at Wembley, winning just one of their three games at the national stadium, where they will be based for the entire season while their new stadium is being built.In the 2010-11 season when Crouch was playing for the North London outfit, Spurs suffered a damaging defeat to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the competition.After going a goal down inside the first five minutes, the striker was sent off 10 minutes later after receiving two yellow cards for poor tackles.The team – managed by Harry Redknapp – failed to recover and they eventually lost 4-0 to the Spanish giants in the first leg.After Crouch, who now plays for Stoke City, discovered who Spurs would be facing this season, he decided to poke fun at his past.Real Madrid for spurs . If they don't have an idiot sent off early they have a great chance— Peter Crouch (@petercrouch) August 24, 2017

According to Don Balon, Antonio Conte is desperate to land Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, with the Chelsea manager willing to spend £71million on the Spaniard.What’s the Story?Reports in Spain are claiming that Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is an admirer of 22-year-old midfielder Saul Niguez and is happy to pay up to £71million to lure the international away from Atletico Madrid this January.However, Saul signed a new contract with his beloved club during the summer; a contract which has a release clause of £133million. While the Blues are unlikely to pay this much, reports suggest that Conte will not give up his pursuit of the talented Spanish star without a fightHow good has Saul been for Atletico Madrid this season?Like much of Atletico Madrid’s team this season, Saul is far from finding his form of recent years, The 22-year-old, who is valued at £36million by Transfermarkt, is still one of the clubs top performers however.Saul has featured in 12 games for Diego Simeone’s men this season and has frequently dominated the midfield, with his unrivalled energy and talents in both offensive and defensive phases of play.Would Saul be a good signing for Chelsea?Strong, skillful, intelligent and passionate; Saul has these characteristics in abundance. With the Spanish contigent at Chelsea getting larger by the transfer window, Saul would have no problem fitting in.However, his adoration for current club Atletico Madrid could mean that the Premier League Champions would have a hard time even reaching an agreement with the midfielder.

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29/11/2017 | 05:49pmAtletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has revealed in his new book ‘Behind the Smile’ that he brushed off interest from Arsenal after they let him down in 2013, reports The Mirror.What’s the story?Griezmann has become one of Europe’s best forwards over the years for his heroics at Atletico.The France international’s career could have taken a different path when he was at Real Sociedad in 2013.In his new autobiography, Griezmann has revealed that he was keen on signing for Arsenal when the club’s scout Giles Grimandi made contact with the player’s agent.However, a bid never came in for the attacker and he vowed not to join the North London outfit in the future due to the way he had been treated.According to The Mirror, Griezmann wrote:“I waited, I waited, and I kept waiting. When there was no news, Eric called Grimandi, who said that the manager was still interested in me [and] to keep waiting.“Finally a few hours before the market closed, he let us know Arsenal would not make a move. I don’t like to be told something and for it not to happen.“So when Eric told me later that the London club were interested again I told him ‘Forget it, after the blow they gave us’.”Will Griezmann be playing in England next season?During the recent summer transfer window, widespread reports claimed that Manchester United were keen on signing the forward.In the end, though, the Frenchman stayed put, with many suggesting that Atletico’s transfer embargo persuaded him to remain loyal to his club of three years.Next summer could be a different story, but a recent report in The Independent has indicted that United have cooled interest in Griezmann due to the positive form of Anthony Martial.The Atletico star would be a welcome addition to the Premier League, but given the financial clout of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, it may be tough to convince the forward to move to England.

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29/11/2017 | 06:35pmReal Madrid are interested in signing out-of-favour Chelsea defender David Luiz in January, according to The Express.What’s the word?Zinedine Zidane is reportedly expected to bring in some new faces in the winter window in the hope of catching up with La Liga leaders Barcelona.The Express claims that Luiz is one of those targets, while Chelsea are considering reviving their interest in Juventus wing-back Alex Sandro.The future of Luiz remains unclear following reports of a fallout between himself and manager Antonio Conte.According to The Express, the Italian coach was unhappy with his player’s attitude following both Champions League games against Roma.As a result, Luiz was dropped from the squad for the 1-0 win over Manchester United and Andreas Christiansen was also preferred in matches against West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool.Luiz could be out of action for a longer spell as he is currently on the sidelines with a knee injury.What should Chelsea do?Conte has proven that he can be cut throat; an example being his dismissal of Diego Costa.The striker scored 25 Premier League goals last season, but was sold to Atletico Madrid in the summer after falling out with Conte.If Luiz is not welcomed back into the team once he returns to fitness, then it could spell the end for the defender.Chelsea must not allow the Brazilian to leave Stamford Bridge in January, though, as it will leave them short of options at the back.Given that the team are still fighting on all fronts, the club need as much depth as possible.

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19/10/2017 | 06:00pmThe transfer window may be closed, but that does not stop the rumour mill from churning.A report in Don Balon has claimed that Real Madrid may be open to selling Gareth Bale next summer due to his regular injury woes.The 28-year-old, who is currently out of action, has had eight calf problems during his four-year spell at the Bernabeu and he missed a large chunk of last season.The report adds that Bale’s former club Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Manchester United, could be in for him come the end of the season, but the emotional pull of the North London outfit could be too much for the player to turn down.The attacker spent six years at Spurs, developing into the player that earned a then-world record £85m move to Madrid.Since 2013, Bale has won 10 trophies, including three Champions League crowns, the most recent of which from last season.As expected, Tottenham fans have been digesting the news and there have been mixed responses.@SpursOfficial get the deal in place now for Jan— Marcus Pearce (@Mp10Marco) October 19, 2017Kane – bale – eriksen – Dele in front of the meanest defence in the prem….. game over!!!— ryan ledger (@rynoledge15) October 19, 2017Although if true it shows our rise in status— Bry the Cabbie (@LDNGreenBadge) October 19, 2017Smoke and mirrors for when he goes to Man U so the fans can't be upset at him. He'll blame the clubs not agreeing. Not rocket science here— Bombay (@GordoneBombay) October 19, 2017Bring the homesick boy back Dan— Rhinoceros (@Rrinoceros) October 19, 2017And they would be looking for Kane and Dele in return. We have enough players on treatment table. #COYS #THFC— John Hueston (@johnrhueston) October 19, 2017I must admit I would like 2 c him bk, great signing 4 the new stadium, but he is on like 425K a week……we can't/won't do that— simon young (@rookieyoung1) October 19, 2017What could they possibly want in return, I wonder 🤔— Craig Bradfield (@heisyouknow8) October 19, 2017

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6/11/2017 | 01:20pmReal Madrid feel that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is the biggest obstacle in their pursuit of Dele Alli, according to Marca.What’s the story?It is not the first time that the midfielder has been linked with a big-money move to Spain, and it is unlikely to be the last.Alli took time to find form this season, but he was one of the standout players in a recent 3-1 victory over Madrid in the Champions League at Wembley.The 21-year-old scored twice, showing that he can cut it on the elite stage, just two years after signing for Spurs from MK Dons.According to Marca, Alli has impressed Real club president Florentino Perez, but the club feel that Levy will provide a stumbling block.How crucial could Levy be in keeping Alli?A chairman at any football club plays a pivotal role with regards to transfer spending, but it is Levy’s approach that has given him a reputation.The businessman is known for being very shrewd having forced a then-world record £85m from Madrid for the sale of Gareth Bale in 2013.The saga went on for weeks, with Levy seemingly not backing down in his valuation of the player.With regards to Alli and all of Tottenham’s top players, it is highly unlikely that the chairman will allow any of them to leave for anything less than an astronomical figure.Levy could end up being a huge reason why certain players remain at the North London outfit.

According to Calciomercato, Southampton are among a number of clubs willing to meet the £23.8million release clause in the contract of Espanyol striker Leo Baptistao.What’s the Story?Reports in Italy claim that Espanyol forward Leo Baptistao is on the radar of a number of clubs around Europe including Southampton, Brighton, Roma and Genoa.Under contract until 2021 with the Catalan Club, Southampton would need to bid £23.8million or more to land Baptistao, as per his release clause.How good has Baptistao been this season?Arguably his most consistent season in European football, Baptistao has found a home at Espanyol.A regular in the side, the Brazilian has started 12 games this season, scoring three times and providing two assists. Played mainly as a central striker, the 25-year-old has alos been deployed on the right wing, where he has proved extremely effective at times.One of the strongest points of Baptistao’s game is his ability to contribute to both offensive and defensive phases of play. He understands the game very well and is able to read teammates and opposition movement impressively.Would Baptistao be a good signing for Southampton?The one thing that Southampton are in desperate need of at this moment in time is an exciting attacker. Other than their 4-1 victory over Everton last weekend, the Saints have been miserably unentertaining in front of goal.With manager Mauricio Pellegrino under increasing pressure from fans to improve the teams fortunes, a move for a Brazilian striker may help reignite some energy into a dreary-looking Saints squad.

According to RMC Sport, David Luiz could be set to leave Chelsea this January and join European Champions Real MadridWhat’s the Story?Reports in France have suggested that David Luiz is keen on a move to Real Madrid after finding his playing time reduced at Stamford Bridge this season.Following a rift with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte at the end of October, Luiz has found himself out of the playing squad on a number of occassions since.While the Blues have played down any spat between player and manager, these reports suggest that Luiz is ready to move to pastures new.How good has Luiz been this season?It has been an inconsistent season for Luiz so far in 2017/18. The 30-year-old, who is valued at £27million by Transfermarkt has featured in 12 games for Chelsea, scoring twice and putting in pretty decent performances when selected.However, his inability to reclaim his spot in the Blues side and the emergence of Andreas Christensen means that Luiz could be set to leave Stamford Bridge for the second time in five years.Would Chelsea really consider letting Luiz leave?Clearly an immensely popular figure with the fans and inside the dressing room, David Luiz would certainly be hugely missed in West London.However, if reports are true and the Brazilian has fallen out with Antonio Conte, the club may need to take action in order to take a stand against unwarranted player power.A move to Real Madrid would be a surprise but is far from unlikely.

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30/11/2017 | 02:13pmAccording to reports in the Daily Mail, Everton striker Sandro Ramirez is a January target for La Liga high-flyers Valencia.What’s the word, then?Well, the Daily Mail says that Valencia are keen to bring the out of favour 22-year-old back to Spain on loan less than six months after he left Malaga to join the Toffees.Despite arriving for what was considered to be a bargain £5.2m fee following an impressive goalscoring campaign in La Liga, the attacker has so far struggled to adapt to the English game or to find a position where he fits into Everton’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.How has Ramirez done this season?Having scored 16 goals in 31 appearances for Malaga last term, hopes were high that the 22-year-old could help to score some of the goals the Merseyside outfit were losing when they sold Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United during the summer.However, he has only scored one goal in 13 outings for Everton so far this campaign, and he has only played 14 minutes of Premier League football in his club’s previous seven top flight fixtures.Could he go in January?While it looked as though he could potentially leave in the New Year if David Unsworth got the job on a permanent basis, that situation may now change after Sam Allardyce was confirmed as the club’s new manager.The former England boss will want to run the rule over all of his players before deciding who is surplus to requirements, and he may feel that he can get the best out of Ramirez – perhaps if he is partnered with a taller player like Dominic Calvert-Lewin up top.Big Sam certainly won’t fancy him as a lone striker if he intends to stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation though, as he likes to have a target to hit with any long balls played forward.What’s the verdict, then?Well, if Allardyce decides that Ramirez isn’t for him or Everton – it could well be the case considering he has struggled to adapt to English football so far – then giving him to Valencia on loan in January could not only potentially help the 22-year-old regain his confidence, but also help them make a profit on a player that cost so little in today’s market.

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29/9/2017 | 02:00pmEverton could make a move for Atletico Madrid striker Kevin Gameiro when the transfer window reopens in January, according to The Mirror.What’s the word?The Merseyside outfit are in desperate need of some firepower up front having scored just four Premier League goals in six matches.Sandro Ramirez was bought in the summer to help the team’s goal threat, but he is yet to find the back of the net.Towards the closing stages of the transfer window, manager Ronald Koeman was rumoured to be hunting for a new striker, but he failed to get a deal over the line.Now, The Mirror claims that the Dutchman could make a £20m move for Gameiro, who is likely to drop down the pecking order due to Diego Costa’s arrival.Is Gameiro the right man?There is always an element of risk bringing in a player who does not have any Premier League experience, but Gameiro has shown in the past that he can be prolific.In his final season at Sevilla before joining Atletico in 2016, the 30-year-old scored 16 La Liga goals and produced four assists.For Atletico, Gameiro had a positive debut campaign, finding the back of the net 12 times and assisting five goals, but he has only made two substitute appearances so far this season.Everton were always going to struggle to replace Romelu Lukaku, so rather than depend on one man, the team need a handful of players to produce goals.If Gameiro comes through the door and former outcast Oumar Niasse stays consistent, then the pair could share the burden.

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1/12/2017 | 10:37amAccording to reports in Spanish magazine Don Balon, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Newcastle United are keen to sign out of favour Atletico Madrid striker Kevin Gameiro, although he could cost any of the interested parties €32m (approximately £28.2m).What’s the word, then?Well, Don Balon says that Gameiro could leave the La Liga giants just 18 months after joining the club after failing to convince manager Diego Simeone that he can be a key player for them in the future, and the Premier League trio have all been credited with an interest in the France international.However, Don Balon says despite the fact the 30-year-old isn’t wanted, he won’t be sold on the cheap and Atletico are keen to recoup as much of the €32m (approximately £28.2m) they paid to sign him from Sevilla in 2016.How has Gameiro done this season?Despite being largely out of favour under Simeone, the Frenchman has still scored four goals and provided a further assist in 10 appearances in all competitions, including a brace and an assist in the 5-0 win against Levante last weekend.Why would Tottenham, Everton and Newcastle want him?Well, Mauricio Pochettino may well be looking for cover for Harry Kane with Fernando Llorente yet to score having joined the club during the summer, while Sam Allardyce may look to add to Everton’s attacking options in the New Year with the Merseyside outfit still yet to replace Romelu Lukaku.Meanwhile, Magpies manager Rafa Benitez could be keen to boost a frontline that has scored just 12 goals in 14 Premier League matches this term, in order to keep his team away from a relegation battle in the second-half of the campaign.Would he be a good signing for them?As a back-up option for Tottenham he certainly would be, but there would be concerns at the 5ft 7in striker’s ability to play a lone role up top because of his weakness in the air.That could be a similar problem for Everton and Newcastle too considering they often play with a 4-2-3-1 formation, and they would need to rely on Gameiro’s goalscoring abilities to make sure he was effective.That said, he has often played that role for Atletico and we have seen how well other smaller players like Segio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez have succeeded when they know how to use their body in the correct way.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

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26/10/2017 | 04:33pm
According to the International Business Times, Newcastle United are monitoring Villarreal winger Alfonso Pedraza, who is currently out on loan with fellow La Liga side Alaves.The IB Times says that the 21-year-old has garnered a reputation as one of the most promising players to graduate from the prolific Villarreal academy in recent years, and he even spent time on loan with Championship side Leeds United last season.The report says that Magpies’ Premier League rivals Southampton are also keen on the wide man, with scouts from both clubs watching the Spain Under-21 international in action in La Liga.It is hardly surprising that the Tyneside outfit are watching the Spaniard given Rafa Benitez is their manager and the fact that they have the likes of Mikel Merino, Ayoze Perez, Javier Manquillo and Joselu in their squad, but it may not be a smart decision to add the forward to their ever-growing Spanish contingent.Here are three reasons Newcastle should steer clear of signing Pedraza…

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9/9/2017 | 06:59amManchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he is disappointed that Andreas Pereira decided to join Valencia last week, and Red Devils fans now fear for the youngster’s future.The 21-year-old was an impressive performer for United during pre-season, and he seemed set to remain at Old Trafford until January at the earliest.However, he didn’t feature in any of the club’s four matchday squads in August and decided to secure a move away in order to play regularly.Mourinho told the Manchester Evening News: “Andreas Pereira was a personal decision that I don’t agree with.“A decision I don’t think honestly I don’t think is the best decision for him, a decision that disappoints me a little bit, because I think he has the potential to be here fighting for a position, for opportunities, and fighting to be a Manchester United player.”Man United supporters were quick to have their say on Mourinho’s comments via social media, and some believe that his Red Devils career may now be over.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…No chance he will be recalled he will be sold if anything mufc career is over— wayne littlewood (@waynelittlewoo2) September 8, 2017Curtains— Phillip Mehegan (@prmehegan) September 8, 2017Great comments, I hope the boy takes them onboard and shows mental strength when he eventually comes back. Could be a januzaj tipping point— kelbo (@the_kelbo) September 8, 2017Dont think its over for him but if he really wants to succeed at United then he must show more openness to fight for his place in the squad.— Milad (@MiladST) September 8, 2017Both r right if the situation seen from both angles, but personally I had a hope that he will fight for a position & show his true colours.— Maithem (@maithem7) September 8, 2017Mourinho ripping Pereira for deciding to leave is hilarious. A fantastic player who hasn't even made the bench for 4 straight games! #MUFC— Basel Arti (@Aritonian) September 8, 2017How Mourinho speaks about Pereira just shows how highly he rates him. Future star #mufc— 🔴🔴Shiv🔴🔴 (@GunmanRashford) September 8, 2017I think it's all over for Andreas Pereira at United. We have to resign to the fact he is moving on. Wishing him the best #mufc #Pereira— Deepan Chakravarthy (@bhoovi) September 8, 2017That's Pereira's United career over before it's even started! 🙈 #MUFC #bigmistake— Craig Bolton (@CraigBolt200) September 8, 2017

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1/12/2017 | 12:26pmAccording to reports in Spanish magazine Don Balon, Tottenham Hotspur are one of three Premier League clubs interested in signing out of favour Atletico Madrid striker Kevin Gameiro, and Spurs fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.Don Balon says that the north London outfit, along with top flight rivals Everton and Newcastle United, are keen on the 30-year-old who could be allowed to leave the La Liga giants having failed to impress Diego Simeone since joining the club in 2016.Despite seemingly being unwanted, the French attacker did score two and assist another in Atletico’s 5-0 win against Levante last weekend to show the goalscoring abilities that he has.Tottenham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the link to Gameiro, and while one said “we’ll sign him and he’ll somehow flop”, another urged the club to “give them Llorente and £20m”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…When are they going to learn la liga strikers aren't for us— Jake (@lilywhite_army) December 1, 2017We'll sign him and he'll somehow flop— Henry (@princebale) December 1, 2017we really need fire power. This lad can finish but I think Atletico are just staring to play him more in a front 3, so this will be a hard signing— simon young (@rookieyoung1) December 1, 2017This will 100% not happen my sources inform me— Marcus (@mrmarcusroberts) December 1, 2017I'm sure he's nearly 30 or already is past that age, so why try but older when there is plenty of good young players out there? It didn't work with Soldado now it seems to be Llorente too. Why not try for someone younger with some pace and can try compete with Kane.— Ethan Mosely (@ethan_mosely) December 1, 2017great; another cheap option who is on the wrong side of 30.— Hywel Davies (@howlindavies) December 1, 2017Give them llorente and 20 million— winksinho (@xavierfifa) December 1, 2017The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

3 minute read
1/12/2017 | 12:10pmAccording to reports in Spanish publication Marca, Newcastle United could reignite their interest in Real Madrid goalkeeper Kiko Casilla having failed in a move to bring him to St James’ Park during the summer transfer window.What’s the word, then?Well, Benitez was keen to bring a new goalkeeper to the newly-promoted Premier League outfit before the start of the current season, but a deal for Casilla failed to materialise with Real not signing a new stopper themselves.Newcastle’s first-choice keeper in the Premier League this season – Rob Elliot – was dropped for Karl Darlow in the 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion in midweek, and Benitez could reignite his search for a new man between the sticks in January.Marca says that Real are keen on a deal for Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa, and despite the fact that Casilla has filled in for the injured Keylor Navas in recent times, he could be surplus to requirements in the New Year if Kepa does arrive at the Bernabeu.How has Casilla done this season?The 31-year-old started the campaign as second-choice behind Navas, but injuries have meant that he has been handed his chance by Zinedine Zidane, and he has been named in the XI for nine of the La Liga giants’ last 10 matches in all competitions.He has conceded nine goals and kept five clean sheets in his 10 outings in total, with Real failing to win in four of those games.Would he be a good signing for Newcastle?He certainly would be.There will be doubts over the abilities of Elliot and Darlow from the St James’ Park faithful as the Magpies look to avoid a relegation battle this season, and bringing in Casilla would certainly make Benitez and the fans feel more confident.The 31-year-old has shown with his appearances for Real this season what a good goalkeeper he can be, and he certainly wouldn’t have any problem dealing with the pressure of playing in the Premier League having appeared for arguably the biggest club in the world.Will Newcastle get him in January?If Real get Kepa in the New Year then it certainly couldn’t be ruled out, but you would feel that could be a deal that is more likely for next summer unless Zidane wants a new number one right now.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

2 minute read
1/12/2017 | 04:30pmDavid de Gea has calmed speculation that he could leave Manchester United for Real Madrid, reports El Confidencial .What’s the word?Whenever a transfer window approaches, rumours of De Gea returning to his homeland do the rounds.Since the summer of 2015, when the goalkeeper’s proposed move to the Bernabeu fell through, the media has constantly speculated whether or not the Spaniard will end up at the Bernabeu.It is partly understandable given that De Gea clearly wanted to join the La Liga giants two years ago, but he has never publicly expressed a desire to join Real.The 27-year-old has given the clearest indication yet that he intends to stay at Old Trafford.In an interview with El Confidencial, De said:“Real Madrid? I’m the goalkeeper of Manchester United and Spain. What more could I ask for?”Is this the end of the rumours?Most likely no. If Madrid’s interest is serious then in most cases club’s of that stature get their way with regards to transfers.However, De Gea’s short but sweet response rings true as he has no real need to take on the challenge at the Bernabeu.Keylor Navas is the current number one at Real, and even though De Gea is one of the world’s best, he may need to fight for the shirt.At United, the shot-stopper has that position nailed down, and even though Manchester City seem to be running away with the Premier League title, the Red Devils will always be competitive under Jose Mourinho.Homesickness could eventually play a part in De Gea returning to Spain, but it seems that he is very secure at United.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

2 minute read
7/11/2017 | 03:28pmAccording to Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal will revive their interest in Barcelona midfielder Rafinha when the January transfer window opens for business.What’s the story?Arsenal were strongly linked with a move for Rafinha during the summer, but could not come to an agreement with Barcelona over the transfer of the 24-year-old.Rafinha, who is valued at £13.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is still recovering from the knee injury that saw him miss the end of last season, meaning that he has not yet featured under the leadership of Ernesto Valverde.The midfielder’s father Mazinho claimed last month that the Brazilian would not be leaving Camp Nou at the start of 2018, but according to Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal will test Barcelona’s resolve with a move in the winter window.It could be argued that Rafinha is similar to a number of players currently at the club, but with Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere all out of contract at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, it would not be a surprise to see a midfielder arrive in January.Would he be a good signing for Arsenal?As mentioned, Rafinha missed the end of last season with a knee injury, but he did find the back of the net seven times in 28 appearances.A loan spell at Celta Vigo during the 2013-14 campaign saw Rafinha return to Barcelona a better player, and he made 36 appearances for the Catalan giants during the 2014-15 season.The 24-year-old is not said to be in the long-term plans of Valverde, however, which has led to suggestions of interest from Juventus and Liverpool.Arsenal fans will feel that they need a presence in the middle of the park rather than another technically gifted midfielder, but Rafinha would bring class and flair to a team that are facing the possibility of missing out on the top four in the Premier League once again.With Barcelona said to be keen to sell, there could well be a bargain available for the Gunners.

3 minute read
2/12/2017 | 01:25pmAccording to Spanish media outlet AS, reported Arsenal target Steven N’Zonzi could be on his way out of Sevilla after falling out with manager Eduardo Berizzo.What’s the word, then?Well, The Sun says that the Gunners were keen on the former Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City man during the summer transfer window, but no move materialised with AS reporting that no interested party was willing to meet the 28-year-old’s €40m (approximately £35.3m right now) release clause.Now AS says that the Frenchman could leave the La Liga side after reacting angrily to be taken off at half-time in the 3-3 draw against Liverpool in the Champions League last month, believing that fellow midfielder Guido Pizarro should have been replaced instead.AS adds that the midfielder then missed training the next day to throw his future with the club into doubt.How has he done this season?Prior to the incident against Liverpool, the France international had made 15 appearances in all competitions, and showcased why he is so highly-rated.According to Squawka, the 28-year-old has a passing accuracy of 90% in 10 La Liga outings this term, while he has made 11 interceptions and nine clearances.The fact that he has successfully completed three of three take-ons he has attempted shows how comfortable he is on the ball, while he has also won 29 of the 38 aerial duels he has contested.Would Arsenal still want him?It’s difficult to say.While Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka have done well in a central midfield pivot in recent weeks, the Gunners still don’t have that powerful and strong player in the middle of the park that you need in some matches.While Francis Coquelin can play that role and sit in front of the defence when required, there is no doubt that his fellow Frenchman N’Zonzi would be an upgrade.What’s the verdict, then?Well, it remains to be seen whether N’Zonzi and Berizzo make up in the next few weeks, but if they don’t then Sevilla could be forced to sell the 28-year-old in January.Whether Wenger would be willing to make a move for the midfielder then remains to be seen, with having to potentially replace Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez being more of a pressing matter.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

2 minute read
7/11/2017 | 04:38pmAccording to Diario Gol, Arsenal have identified Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas as the perfect replacement for the ageing Petr Cech.What’s the story?Cech will certainly be remembered as one of the best goalkeepers to play in the Premier League, but there is no getting away from the fact that the 35-year-old has struggled to produce his best form in the early stages of the 2017-18 season.It is not a surprise that Arsenal are looking to the future, and according to Diario Gol, the capital giants want Real Madrid stopper Navas to be their new number one.The 30-year-old has been Los Blancos’ first-choice goalkeeper in each of the last three seasons, but talk of David de Gea joining from Manchester United will not go away, with many believing that the deal will finally happen next summer.If that occurred, Navas would surely move on, and it would not be a surprise to see the Costa Rica international pitch up in the Premier League.Would Navas be a good signing for Arsenal?With Real Madrid actively trying to sign De Gea over the last three years, it would be easy to assume that Navas was struggling at the Bernabeu.That is simply not the case, however, with the former Levante stopper proving a dependable performer between the sticks.It is true that Navas, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has made the odd mistake, but the goalkeeper has also made a series of outstanding saves, especially in big matches.The 30-year-old came close to joining Man United in the summer of 2015 in a deal that would have seen De Gea move in the opposite direction, but a faulty fax machine saw the move fall through.The thought of Navas arriving at the Emirates Stadium might not excite too many of the Arsenal supporters, but he is a terrific goalkeeper, and played a key role in Real Madrid winning the Champions League and La Liga last season.

2 minute read
3/12/2017 | 08:00amEgypt head coach Hector Cuper has revealed that Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is wanted by Real Madrid, reports the London Evening Standard.What’s the story?Given the attacker’s current form, he was bound to attract interest from other big-name clubs.Salah has found the back of the net 17 times and has created four assists in 21 appearances in all competitions.Egypt head coach Cuper apparently has inside knowledge about a potential transfer, with Madrid said to be interested.According to the London Evening Standard, the football coach told ON Sport TV in Egypt:“I’ve received confirmed news revealing Real Madrid’s interest in Salah, but let’s not rush things. To me, he is in an amazing position right now.”How should Liverpool react?The Merseyside outfit proved in the summer that they can be stubborn when trying to keep hold of a key player.The club denied Philippe Coutinho a move to Barcelona, despite the Spanish giants’ tabling three bids.If there is a genuine interest in Salah, then Liverpool need to make sure that they do everything that they can to stop the 25-year-old from having his head turned.In most cases, it is difficult for players not to consider joining one of the European heavyweights, but at the moment, there is no need for the player to move.At the moment, Salah, who joined the club from Roma for £36m in the summer, is a key figure in Jurgen Klopp’s side and if he made the jump to Madrid, he would have to compete for a place in the setup.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

3 minute read
3/12/2017 | 05:38pmAccording to reports in The Sunday Mirror, new Everton boss Sam Allardyce has targeted unhappy Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi as one of his priority transfer targets.What’s the word, then?Well, The Sunday Mirror says that having been promised a bumper January budget by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, Allardyce could look to be reunited with the 28-year-old.The 63-year-old signed the Frenchman when he was Blackburn Rovers manager, and The Sunday Mirror also says that he was keen to see if the midfielder was eligible to play for England when he was in charge of the Three Lions.The report adds that N’Zonzi is keen to leave the La Liga outfit and although Sevilla would be reluctant to let him go, they could be tempted if they are offered £20m.How has N’Zonzi done this season?The 28-year-old has been a regular in the Sevilla side this season, but he wasn’t happy when he was taken off at half-time in the draw against Liverpool in the Champions League, and he failed to turn up to training the next day.Since then, the Frenchman hasn’t made the squad for the La Liga matches against Villarreal and Deportivo La Coruna, with the relationship between himself and manager Eduardo Berizzo still not repaired.Do Everton need him?With the likes of Idrissa Gueye, Morgan Schneiderlin, James McCarthy, Mo Besic, Beni Baningime and Tom Davies in the middle of the park, you wouldn’t necessarily think that they need N’Zonzi but the former two especially have been performing far worse than they did last season.There is no doubt that the Sevilla man would add some strength and power in the centre, and he would prove to be an important player at both ends of the pitch when it comes to set-pieces.What’s the verdict, then?Well, if Everton could pick N’Zonzi up for £20m Allardyce would probably be happy to do it, especially having worked with the Frenchman before and the fact that he has experience of playing Premier League, Champions League and Europa League football.That said, his fall-out with his current boss in recent weeks would bring some question marks over his attitude and character.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

1 minute read
9/9/2017 | 07:40amLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed in his pre-match press conference for his side’s clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday that Philippe Coutinho will be omitted from the squad.Jürgen Klopp confirms Philippe Coutinho will not be included in the matchday squad to face Manchester City. pic.twitter.com/lZGilb7Iyk— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 8, 2017The 25-year-old was recovering from injury when he handed in a transfer request just days before the Premier League season started last month after Barcelona showed an interest in him, and the La Liga giants had three offers for the Reds star rejected.However, the attacking midfielder returned to action for Brazil with two substitute appearances during the international break but despite that, Klopp isn’t ready to include him for the clash against Pep Guardiola’s men.Klopp said: “I decided to leave him out of the squad for City so we can use the time for extra training. He agreed.”Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on the news via social media, and they are largely divided with some saying it is the “right decision” and others feeling it might prove to be a mistake to not include him in the squad.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Good decision..no point disrupting the current rhythm of the team and dropping players in form. He'll earn his place for sure IMHO— Prinz (@WeArePrinz) September 8, 2017The right decision.— tony nevitt (@tonynevitt) September 8, 2017Not sure this is a good idea. Especially if we're trying to win the game and looking for something special from the bench.— Steve Heighway (@Mywayorthe) September 8, 2017He should be. Still one of their best players and you need your best players for the big games.— Richard kemp (@RCKempy) September 8, 2017Very pleased with how Klopp is dealing with him.— G (@G_uhyeah) September 8, 2017It's a smart decision by Klopp to leave Coutinho out. I think he will make his comeback with 50,000 #LFC fans supporting him at Anfield!— LFC-TM (@Its_all_left) September 8, 2017still suffering with that back pain caused by anxiety is it hahaha,hope he never plays for us again!— Breff (@Breff91) September 8, 2017

2 minute read
3/12/2017 | 07:08pmAccording to reports in The Sunday Mirror, Manchester United are ready to pull the plug on signing Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale unless the price is right, and they are only willing to pay £50m-£60m for the £100m-rated player.What’s the word, then?Well, The Sunday Mirror says that Real are ready to sell the Welshman in order to fund moves for Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, but they rate him at £100m.However, The Sunday Mirror says that United don’t feel he is worth that much because of the fact that he has suffered a number of injury issues during his time with Spain, the fact that he turns 29 in July and how he is currently on £350,000-per-week.The report adds that while the Red Devils were once willing to pay £100m, their chiefs will only do business in a cut-price deal.How he has done this season?It has been another injury-hit campaign for Bale at the Bernabeu.The Wales international has made 10 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and providing a further five assists, but he picked up his 20th injury during his time with Real against Fuenlabrada last week.That calf problem meant he missed the goalless draw against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.Could United get him for £50m?Considering some of the transfer fees that are being thrown around right now, it would be difficult see Real accepting an offer of £50m for Bale.Even if they are looking to offload the 28-year-old they will still believe that he is one of the best attacking players in the world on his day, and that is shown by their £100m valuation.Of course, Real have long been linked with United goalkeeper David De Gea and there could be a compromise found if the stopper was involved in any deal, but the Red Devils won’t want that to happen either.The festive fixture pileup is almost upon us—that’s bad news for the players, but great news for those of us who like a flutter! Before you build your accumulator for this weekend, be sure to check out the brace of LeoVegas coupons we’ve picked out. There’s a Premier League outright win treble with great odds, plus a fourfold from the lower leagues for the more cavalier. Our Accy Show tips have paid out in the last two weeks—take a look and let us know whether you think our streak will continue…

2 minute read
4/12/2017 | 05:05pmAccording to Diario Gol, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are both interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos in the January transfer window.What’s the story?Ceballos starred for Spain Under-21s during the Under-21 European Championships last summer, and after being linked with a number of clubs, ultimately joined Real Madrid from Real Betis.The 21-year-old has struggled for first-team football at the Bernabeu, however, starting just two La Liga matches for the defending champions this season.According to Diario Gol, Ceballos’ position at Real Madrid has not gone unnoticed, and North London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal are both closely monitoring proceedings with the view to a move when the winter window opens for business.AC Milan and Roma have also been credited with an interest, while Betis are said to be keen to take Ceballos on a loan deal until the end of the 2017-18 campaign.Would Ceballos suit the Premier League?Ceballos, who is valued at £15.3m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has scored twice in 11 appearances for Real Madrid since making the move to the Bernabeu.The presence of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric has made it very difficult for the midfielder to earn a spot in the middle of the park, whilst he does not have the same qualities as Casemiro in a defensive position.There is simply no doubting Ceballos’ ability, however, with the Spaniard a terrific footballer capable of producing moments of magic from the middle of the park.His close control and range of passing make him a nightmare to play against, and despite not being a physically imposing midfielder, there is no question that he has the credentials to operate in the Premier League.It is not a surprise that English clubs are watching the midfielder with a view to a winter move, and he has the potential to be a star in the Premier League.

1 minute read
4/12/2017 | 06:55pmLuis Suarez had a pretty good time of it at Liverpool – scoring 82 goals in 133 appearances for the Merseyside outfit before making the move to Barcelona.He netted 61 times in his final two seasons with the Reds, and has continued that scoring form in Spain – registering 127 goals in 165 matches for Barcelona.Norwich City will not have many fond memories of Suarez though following a couple of spectacular performances against the Canaries.Liverpool took a trip down memory lane on Monday as they posted a video of the striker scoring four times in the 5-1 win over Norwich in December 2013.It would be fair to say that Suarez is not popular with everyone, and he has made some serious mistakes on the football pitch during his career.There can be no doubting his ability as a player, however, and it is a shame for Liverpool that he did not stick around a little bit longer to help push the club forward.A selection of the best Twitter reaction to Liverpool’s video can be found below:🗓 #OnThisDay in 2013…An unbelievable performance from @LuisSuarez9 👌🙌 pic.twitter.com/30aifqEaCM— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 4, 2017So special . Once in a generation type of player, for sure.— Warriors of Uruguay (@UruguayanHeroes) December 4, 2017Love him or loathe him, Luis Suarez is a footballing genius! #LFC There is not enough words to describe how good this man is. He scores EVERY type of goal, what a player! Thanks for the memories Luis!— Jurgen Meister🇩🇪 (@SS_LFC) December 4, 2017What a player!!! 👏👏👏— Cindy™ (@Cindymonel) December 4, 2017Missing his moments tho— Jordan Collins (@JordanC73346859) December 4, 2017I was at that game with my daughter's he was breathtaking so glad I saw this genius play .— jeansgirl (@henrysboss) December 4, 2017Wish he would come back— unclegrowler (@unclegrowler) December 4, 2017miss himHe scores a goal and the Kop go wild#YNWA— Jason k (@Jasonk185) December 4, 2017Best individual performance I’ve ever had the privilege to witness.— GEOFF CATON (@GEOFFCATON1) December 4, 2017Yes remeber it well! Brilliant, best player on the planet at times— sakho's first touch (@dazzerlad) December 4, 2017“The man… is just (voice breaks)… brilliant! 😭— pete vorimo (@PVorimo) December 4, 2017

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8/11/2017 | 07:20amWhenever a manager gets sacked, numerous names fill the gossip pages, and that has been the case with Everton.The Merseyside outfit are currently searching for a successor to Ronald Koeman, whose ambition in the transfer window did not match up on the pitch as he oversaw just two wins in nine Premier League games this season.As it stands, Under-23s coach David Unsworth is in charge of the first team, but it is only on an interim basis.Sky Sports News claims that Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is the number one target for Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.The Argentine is reportedly at the very top of a list of four potential candidates, with the club’s chief willing to back the new leader with funds.Simeone has been at the helm of Atletico for the past six years, winning five trophies, including the La Liga title.The 47-year-old is also tied down to the Spanish outfit until 2020 having signed a new contract in September.The news of Everton’s rumoured interest in Simeone has, understandably, got the fans talking.Diego Simeone?! Catch yourself on, lads. #EFC— Chris Jones (@_chrisjones_) November 7, 2017More chance that Kathleen will be the next Everton manager than Diego Simeone #efc— GP (@GCP1989) November 7, 2017Simeone to Everton with the money we have it's realistic, but we're Everton which makes it unrealistic. Sadly #EFC— Adam Oakes (@imagineadam97) November 7, 2017Simeone's appointment may be a pipe dream, but it's great to see the club still showing ambition. #efc— Elliott Cuff (@CuffWrites) November 7, 2017money talks and the man backing us has plenty. The man backing our man has even more ! #moshiri #Simeone #efc— Coop (@Holocene1878) November 7, 2017Simeone? 😂like he’s gonna manage us and leave a champions league, title challenging club…absolutely ridiculous #EFC— Kris Dalston (@KrebbyD14) November 7, 2017Apparently Moshri wants Simeone as next manager? More chance of me getting Margot Robbie to meet me in KFC to share a bargain bucket #EFC— Mark Bagnall (@Baggy4) November 7, 2017Can’t wait til Alexis Sanchez is running down the wing at Goodison with Simeone going mental on the touchline. Just what we’re missing👌 #EFC— Michael Rutherford (@MRutherford_24) November 7, 2017Simeone is my no1 choice too for #efc, but i would get his face tattoo'd on my body if it happens. And my body is a temple…#nothappening— M_rtin J_hn Gr_ves (@marty_mcfly27) November 7, 2017Simeone eh. Let's not get excited, it's always the hope that kills us #EFC— Lindsey (@LindseyC1878) November 7, 2017

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5/12/2017 | 09:56am
According to reports in Spanish media outlet DiarioGol, Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos is unhappy at a lack of first-team minutes and is being eyed by Tottenham Hotspur, along with Premier League rivals Arsenal, Serie A duo AC Milan and AS Roma and former club Real Betis.DiarioGol says that the 21-year-old, who moved to the Bernabeu from Betis during the summer transfer window, chose to join Real over Barcelona even though he knew that manager Zinedine Zidane didn’t particularly want him and that he would have played more at the Camp Nou, and he is already frustrated at a lack of game time.Now the Spain Under-21 international is looking for a way out, with Spurs among the clubs ready to offer him an escape route.Meanwhile, new Everton manager Sam Allardyce will already be identifying potential January signings as he looks to lead the Merseyside outfit up the Premier League table, and a deal to bring the youngster to Goodison Park could prove to be a shrewd move.Here are three reasons the Toffees should hijack Tottenham’s bid to sign Ceballos…

3 minute read
5/12/2017 | 11:07amAccording to reports in The Times, Chelsea forward Eden Hazard is refusing to sign a new contract worth £300,000 a week in the hope of attracting an offer from Real Madrid.What’s the word, then?Well, The Times says Hazard has joined Belgian teammate Thibaut Courtois in putting talks over a new deal on hold until the end of the season despite the fact that he has been offered a contract that would make him the highest-paid player in the west London outfit’s history.The Times says that while the 26-year-old is happy at Stamford Bridge, he is so far reluctant to extend his current deal – which still has two-and-a-half years left to run on it – as it would affect his chances of joining Real in the future.The report adds that while the La Liga giants have coveted the attacker for a long time, they didn’t make a formal bid last summer and the Blues are hoping that the man that wants him – Zinedine Zidane – is sacked at the end of the season to boost their chances of keeping their influential star.How has Hazard done this season?Even though he perhaps hasn’t been as influential as he was last term so far during the current campaign – especially as he recovered from an ankle injury – the 26-year-old has still scored an impressive eight goals and provided a further six assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.The Belgium international showed his importance in the 3-1 win against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, when Antonio Conte’s side came from a goal down to pick up the three points with Hazard scoring a brace.Could he go to Madrid before his contract expires?It’s difficult to say.While Chelsea certainly won’t want to lose their attacking talisman if he is refusing to sign a new deal and they receive a huge offer from Real next summer, it could be too tempting to turn down – especially if the player says he wants to go.Of course the Blues would have to make sure they were definitely getting a world-class replacement first, and it certainly won’t be easy to find someone of the Belgian’s quality.

1 minute read
28/9/2017 | 04:44pmChelsea pulled off a hugely impressive 2-1 win away against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but Blues fans weren’t impressed with the performance from midfielder Cesc Fabregas.The La Liga giants were hosting their first European game at their new Wanda Metropolitano home when Antonio Conte’s men came to town, and they looked to be on course to pick up three points when Antoine Griezmann’s penalty gave them a half-time lead.However, the visitors hit back after the break and Alvaro Morata’s header on the hour-mark was followed by a last-gasp winner from Michy Batshuayi, with Fabregas – who started in a more advanced position with Tiemoue Bakayoko and N’Golo Kante in the middle of the park – missing a sitter from six yards just after Morata found the net.Chelsea supporters were quick to have their say on his showing via social media, and while some described it as “awful”, others said it was a “shocking performance”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…fabregas has been awful today #cfc— ifty (@iiftyyy) September 27, 2017Fabregas has been unusually poor this game #cfc— Ben Stephens (@Sparkey63Ben) September 27, 2017As I say that, here comes Christensen for Fabregas.Not at his best tonight Cesc. Still did a job though. #CFC #ATLCHE— Lav (@ConteTactics) September 27, 2017Breath breath……..yes we won and best performance of season and this despite pretty weak games from Fabregas and Bakayoko #CFC— Justin Scarborough (@justinscarboro2) September 27, 2017For the whole of the game only Fabregas wasn't at his best.. #cfc— yo p! 💙🔵 (@iampeedeeterry) September 27, 2017Fabregas has been well off the pace tonight… #ATLCHE #CFC #ChampionsLeague— Stefan Hodge (@stefan_hodge) September 27, 2017Fabregas has had a shocking performance, let alone that finish. #CFC— Chelsea Central (@ChelseaCentral_) September 27, 2017Fabregas having a real poor game till now. That’s a concern. #CFC— Souradip (@souradip23) September 27, 2017Cesc needs to improve ffs #CFC— Abz 🥊⚽️ (@abzcfc98) September 27, 2017you didn't play well bro. Hope to see a better performance against city if selected. C'mon chelsea— Mubaraq (@mbijaiya) September 27, 2017

3 minute read
5/12/2017 | 12:09pmAccording to reports in the Daily Mail, West Ham United could face competition from La Liga giants Real Madrid in the race to sign Krasnodar and Russia striker Fyodor Smolov.What’s the word, then?Well, the Daily Mail says that Real have been impressed with the 27-year-old performances for club and country in recent weeks, and they are considering adding the centre-forward to their squad following a disappointing start to the campaign.The Daily Mail reported last month that West Ham were ready to launch a £15m bid for the Russia captain during the January transfer window, but the news of the interest from the La Liga giants could dent their hopes of bringing the striker to the London Stadium in the New Year.The latest report adds that even though he is set to skipper his country at his nation’s home World Cup next summer, he is still willing to leave Krasnodar midway through the current campaign.How good has Smolov been this season?He has been excellent, and it is no surprise that he is attracting admiring glances from a number of clubs.The 27-year-old scored a brace in Russia’s 3-3 friendly draw with Spain last month, while he has also hit form for his club with five goals in his last six appearances.In total, he has 13 goals in 15 outings in all competitions this term.Would he be a good signing for West Ham?He certainly would be.With 13 goals in 15 Premier League matches this season the Irons are struggling for goals, and there are continued fitness doubts over the likes of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, with the Daily Mail reporting that David Moyes could be set to lose the latter in January anyway.Standing at 6ft 2in tall and being relatively strong, Smolov looks to have the physical traits to be a success in the English top flight, but WhoScored.com also lists dribbling as one of his major strengths, too.Could they really beat Real Madrid to his signature?It would depend on the player.There is no doubt that the 27-year-old would get more first-team football at the London Stadium than he would with Real, but the draw of joining the La Liga giants could be too good to turn down – especially if his captain status guarantees that he will play every game for Russia at next summer’s World Cup.

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8/11/2017 | 07:00amEverton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has placed Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone as his number one target to replace Ronald Koeman, according to Sky Sports News.What’s the word?The Merseyside outfit have had Under-23s coach David Unsworth in charge since the dismissal of Koeman, who guided the team to just two wins in nine Premier League games.It seems, though, that the board have other targets in mind for the full-time position.Sky Sports News claims that Moshiri has included Simeone as one of four potential candidates for the job, and the Argentine sits at the top of the list.The report adds that the Atletico boss, who has been in charge of the Spanish club since 2011, is happy in his current position after making a U-turn and signing a new contract in September.Are Everton good enough for Simeone?Given that the 47-year-old is used to challenging for league titles and Champions League trophies, moving to a club with Everton’s current predicament would be a shock.As it stands, the Toffees are just two points above the relegation zone after picking up just three wins in 11 outings.If Simeone was to come in, he would be tasked with boosting morale and dragging the club up the table.While the Argentine may be equipped to doing so, it would not make sense for him to leave Atletico mid-season, particularly as the club currently sit fourth in La Liga.It is important for Everton to aim high, but targeting Simeone is too ambitious.

2 minute read
8/11/2017 | 09:40amFootball pundit Paul Merson has suggested that Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone would consider taking over Everton.According to Sky Sports News, Toffees majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has selected the Argentine as a candidate among a list of four.The broadcaster claims that Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva and David Unsworth, who is currently in temporary charge of the team, are also options.Simeone has been the main man at Atletico since 2011, and in the last six years, he has guided the club to five trophies, including the La Liga title.Atleti have come closest to challenging Spain’s elite giants Real Madrid and Barcelona over the last few years.At the moment, the club sit fourth in the domestic table and remain in the Champions League, but have an outside of chance of reaching the last 16.While some have suggested that moving to Everton would be a step down for Simeone, Merson thinks that it could be the best way for the 47-year-old to enter the Premier League.The former Arsenal man said on The Debate:“This is where it has taken Simeone now. People are saying he might be a bit big for the club but he’s been around a long time, Atletico Madrid are not the team they were and they are falling behind a bit.“He’ll look at the Premier League and think ‘right, I’m not going to be manager of Liverpool, Man City or Arsenal, maybe Chelsea’ and all of a sudden, Everton are the next best thing. Even with where they are, they are the next biggest club with money and big wages, then he’s in the Premier League.”

3 minute read
19/10/2017 | 05:45pmReal Madrid star Gareth Bale may consider a return to Tottenham Hotspur next summer, according to Don Balon.What’s the story?The 28-year-old has been linked with a return to the Premier League almost every season since moving to the Bernabeu from Spurs in 2013.On this occasion, Don Balon reports that the Spanish giants are growing weary of the attacker’s injury problems and may decide to offload him next summer.Bale is currently on the sidelines with a calf problem – a similar issue that has blighted him eight times during his four-year spell in Madrid.Manchester United have regularly been linked with a swoop for the Wales international, but now the prospect of a sensational return to North London has been reported.It is believed that Bale could be swayed into re-signing for Spurs over United due to his emotional connection to the club.Should he go back?In many aspects of life, the term ‘never go back’ is a good one to stand by, but from Tottenham’s point of view, having Bale in the team would boost their chances of title glory significantly.In the early stages of the Welshman’s Madrid career there were rumours that he was feeling homesick, so returning to a club that he is very familiar with suggests that he could hit the ground running.Some would question why Bale would even want to go back to Tottenham given that he plays for one of the best clubs in the world and has picked up three Champions League crowns in the last four years.However, it is clear to see that Mauricio Pochettino is transforming Spurs into genuine contenders, and with the new stadium on the horizon, they are beginning to look the part.Given Bale’s link to Tottenham – he spent six years at the club – it may not take much for him to consider moving back, particularly as he will have the chance to potentially spearhead the London outfit to glory.Are there any problems?Yes, money. Bale was sold to Madrid for a then-world record £85m and it is likely that the Spanish giants will be looking to recoup that figure.The attacker’s injury problems could prevent Real from making a profit, but club president Florentino Perez is unlikely to go below the sum that was paid.Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is a shrewd businessman and a stubborn one at that, so if he were to enter negotiations, it could be a long and arduous process.On top of that, the North London club have a very modest wage structure, which they will have to reassess if they want to welcome back Bale.

2 minute read
8/11/2017 | 09:00amManchester United target Antoine Griezmann has told Barcelona that he will sign for the club as long as he is regarded as their star man, according to Diario Gol.What’s the story?The France international was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer.It was widely reported that Griezmann had chosen to join Jose Mourinho’s team, but the forward ended up staying at Atletico Madrid after the club’s transfer ban was imposed.Now, rumours in Spain are rumbling that Barcelona could be an option for the 26-year-old.Diario Gol claims that Griezmann has told the Catalan giants that he is open to moving to the Camp Nou, but only if he becomes the team’s main man.What should United do?If the attacking star was previously willing to move to Old Trafford, then United should reignite their interest.Even if Barcelona’s interest is genuine, the Red Devils are capable of competing with the La Liga side, both in ambition and wages.Romelu Lukaku was Mourinho’s big buy in the summer and he proved to be the right choice considering that the striker scored 15 goals in his first 12 games in all competitions.In his last seven outings, the Belgian has registered two assists, but he has failed to find the back of the net.If United also had Griezmann in their ranks, a dip in goalscoring form from Lukaku would not be hugely noticeable.It is worthwhile jumping back in the market for the Atletico star, but United need to be wary of the player potentially using the club to get a better offer elsewhere.

2 minute read
5/12/2017 | 10:41pmLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has claimed that he cannot say for certain that Philippe Coutinho will still be at the club after the January transfer window, reports Sky Sports.What’s the word?Throughout the summer, the Brazilian was coveted by Barcelona, but the Reds managed to hold firm.The Catalan giants reportedly had three bids rejected by the Merseyside outfit, despite Coutinho expressing a desire to leave.With the January window a matter of weeks away, there are rumours that Barcelona could revive their interest.During a press conference, Klopp was asked what makes him sure that Coutinho will stay beyond the winter period.According to Sky Sports, the German coach said:“Nothing, but I don’t think about it. Not one second. I’m not unsure, I’m not sure, I don’t think about it.”Could Liverpool lose Coutinho next month?Most of the time, big-name players do not move clubs until the end of the season, but it is not unheard of for high-profile stars to switch homes midway through the campaign.If Coutinho was keen to seal a transfer in the summer, then the 25-year-old may be tempted if Barca come calling in a few weeks’ time.It is unclear what is going on behind the scenes, but the Brazilian has knuckled down and is performing well on the pitch.If he was unhappy at Anfield, we may not be seeing the kind of performances that the playmaker has been producing.Coutinho has scored six goals and created six assists in his last 10 outings for the Reds.Given how hard Liverpool fought to keep their star player in the summer, it would seem like a wasted effort if they sell him midway through the season.

2 minute read
27/10/2017 | 06:00amReal Madrid have placed Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld on their list of transfer targets, according to Don Balon.What’s the word?The transfer links between Tottenham and Madrid have emerged yet again, but this time it is Alderweireld who is at the centre of them.The Belgian is yet to pen fresh terms at the North London club, leading to suggestions that the 28-year-old may consider his options at the end of the season.Don Balon claims that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is an admirer of the defender, who is being considered as a potential partner at the back for Sergio Ramos.Could it be down to wages?There is no doubt that Spurs are heading in the right direction as a club given that they have been in the race for the Premier League title the past two seasons.The North London outfit are also due to move into a state-of-the-art new stadium for the 2018-19 campaign, which will further boost their status as a genuine threat in English football.With that being said, it begs the question why Alderweireld, who is a regular starter under manager Mauricio Pochettino, has not yet signed a new deal.It is no secret that Spurs have one of the more modest wage structures in the top flight, and if Madrid do come calling, they would be able to offer Alderweireld a much bigger pay package.The defender’s plans for the future are unknown, but if Tottenham want to be among the big boys on the pitch, then they need to boost salaries off it.

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5/9/2017 | 03:03pmAccording to reports in The Sun, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will look to sign Real Madrid star Gareth Bale next summer as he looks to add a world class winger to his squad.What’s the word, then?Well, The Sun says that Mourinho was keen to bring the 28-year-old to Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, but the Champions League holders told them that he was not for sale.The Portuguese boss was desperate to add a wide man to his squad before the window slammed shut on Thursday night, but he also had to give up on a deal for Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic when the Serie A giants changed their asking price during negotiations.The Sun adds that while Real didn’t want to sell Bale this year, they indicated that a deal could be done in 2018 as they would be willing to consider a huge bid.With Isco currently in top form and Marco Asensio coming through the ranks, the La Liga outfit are certainly well stocked in attacking positions.Why does Mourinho want Bale?Following a tough start to life with Tottenham Hotspur, the Welshman quickly established himself as not only one of the best players in the Premier League, but also in the world during his time with Spurs.He scored 21 goals in 33 English top flight appearances in his final season at White Hart Lane before completing a then world-record move to Real Madrid, where has netted 55 goals in 102 La Liga outings.An influential performer and leader, the Wales captain has also netted 26 goals in 62 appearances for his country and was one of the main catalysts behind their progress to the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championships in France.Would he be a good signing for United?He would be a huge addition for the Red Devils.The 28-year-old has pace, is effective when dribbling and is a potent finisher. However, he also offers a lot more and is strong and decent in the air, as well as being versatile enough to play in a variety of attacking positions.While he would undoubtedly come at a big price as his contract doesn’t run out until 2022, he could prove to be the difference if United are to become the top force in the Premier League and Europe in the future.

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8/11/2017 | 03:14pmAccording to The Express, Real Madrid are preparing a January swoop for Manchester United attacker Juan Mata.What’s the story?Mata has started seven Premier League matches for United this season, but the Spaniard was left out of the squad for Sunday’s trip to Chelsea.The 29-year-old has only managed one goal in 12 appearances for the Red Devils this season, and with his contract expiring next summer, there are huge question marks surrounding the attacker’s future at Old Trafford.According to The Express, Mata’s situation in Manchester has alerted Real Madrid, who want to boost their squad in January after a difficult start to the 2017-18 campaign.Indeed, Los Blancos failed to replace the likes of Alvaro Morata and James Rodriguez during the summer, and it is understood that president Florentino Perez will make funds available during the January transfer window.Mata, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.co.uk, spent three years at Real Madrid during his youth, but never represented the first team at the Bernabeu – moving on to Valencia before switching to the Premier League.Would United sell in January?There is a reason why so few major deals take place in January, with clubs uncomfortable with selling at the start of the year. Mata is out of contract next summer, however, meaning that he could leave United on a free.According to The Express, United could be willing to listen to offers at the start of 2018, whilst the player himself is interested in talking to the Spanish champions.Mata is a favourite with the United fans, but he has been substituted in each of his 11 starts this season, and has found it difficult to make his mark in a wide position.A move to Real Madrid would also boost Mata’s chances of making the Spain squad for the 2018 World Cup.It would seem a strange move for United to sell one of their most experienced players at the mid-point of the season, but with no new contract on the table, the deal might make financial sense.

8 minute read
27/10/2017 | 06:45amThey say that defensive football is boring. That the art of organising a team to be solid and nigh-on impenetrable is against the ideals of football, the idea of which is to out-score the opponent, not out-concede them.Those people might point to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United at their most brazen, but they have clearly never watched Atletico Madrid in their pomp.There may be no more thrilling sight in football than a blazing counter-attack where each player knows his job. To see a team go from defending to attacking in a whirlwind of a moment is exciting, but it’s the ruthlessness of the finish that makes it altogether more predatory. Like a lion downing a gazelle it is both brutal and oddly mesmeric. In order to achieve that, you have to lie in wait first.At times over the last year and a bit, since Mourinho arrived at United, it’s the gladiatorial thrill of the counter we’ve been missing, apart from the first few games of this season. But when it came to the best of Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone, that wasn’t the only reason games were enjoyable. There was a joy to watching them defend, too.Importantly, though, it was a conspiratorial joy.When you watched Atletico play – seemingly no matter who they were playing against – they’d never dominate the opposition. Everything was on edge, even until the last minutes. There would be a quality and a class in attack, players like Diego Costa and later Antoine Griezmann would let you know you were watching a top side. But there was something about watching them defend as a team which mesmerised as much as the passing motions of Barcelona in their pomp.Diego Simeone gets the crowd involved. Everyone is a part. Everything is on edge. Atleti became a big team, La Liga champions in 2014 and Champions League finalists twice in three years, but rarely did they win even the small games by big margins, not like the big teams did. Indeed, that’s not what the crowd were there to see.In fact, they didn’t arrive to see. They arrived to take part. The Vicente Calderon was filled with people whose job it was to roar the team on because the alternative was to bite their nails. The manager had convinced them that they were part of the war effort, and they had duly resolved to sing for victory.All you had to do was look at the two banks of four moving in tandem to see the beauty, but a glance at the ball – always at the feet of an opponent – showed that it was all in the balance. One slight mistake from a defender was all it would take before it was gone.It’s rare for a club to create a sense of community quite like that one, where there is a shared goal between players and fans, especially one which involved such intense concentration in defence. The aim is to entertain the crowd, but not through Pep Guardiola dominance: through the opposite. Fans were complicit in the result, and when you make the defensive performances heroic enough to be thrilling, it’s no longer ‘entertainment’, it’s an immersive experience.Manchester United will never be Atletico Madrid. United are too big a club. They can never be the underdogs like Simeone’s side can. They don’t have a Real Madrid or a Barcelona to usurp, just noisy neighbours to silence now that Liverpool have long since been knocked off their perch.The siege mentality that Mourinho creates among his players might well bear fruit in the end, but it’s hard for a fan to buy into that because there is no complicity. They aren’t involved, at least not in the same way. If they aren’t there to be entertained by attacking play, nor are they there to sing for victory, then why exactly are they turning up? And they will turn up, because they support their team, but a reason removes the wall.This year, Atletico aren’t the same team. Their stadium move hinders and probably weakens them. There were always going to be teething problems and they may well overcome them in the future, maybe even this season, but there is something missing. At the Calderon, though, they were barely penetrable: the fans were complicit in the result and that in turn helped focus the team on the game itself.That might sound like a strange concept, but it’s an important one which brings together the comparison between Atletico and Manchester United. Because if a style of football which is primarily about defensive organisation and individual attacking flair on the counter is to work in the long-term, then you can’t have your team defending like it’s a mathematical equation or an academic exercise. You can’t line up in two banks of four for the majority of every game. It gets boring for the players.But, if you’re being willed to focus by 45,000 baying fans roaring at every clearance and tackle because they’re complicit in the result, then you’re not focusing on a ‘job’, but you’re defending something much more meaningful than that. And that’s not boring for anyone involved, players of fans.Jose Mourinho’s problem is that, in the long term, performances like his two at Anfield in his time at United aren’t possible unless you create that same sort of complicity between fans and players. It’s true that you can’t create that in one transitional season, but the worry is that he won’t actually try. And if he doesn’t, he might end up like quite a few performances like he got against Huddersfield, when his players, perhaps lacking motivation because of their rigid and unadventurous style of play, simply failed to turn up in the first half.But even if he does attempt to string together an overarching philosophy like Simeone did in Spain, one of the reasons why Atletico were such a force in Europe, and why they were, counter-intuitively, such a joy to watch, was because they always felt like the underdogs. Manchester United, on the other hand, are English football’s most successful club and three-time winners of the European Cup. They will never be underdogs, and may never even want to be.And that’s the sticking point. Mourinho can win the league playing football in such a way. He may even win Champions Leagues. But at a club like Manchester United, will he ever be able to create a situation like Diego Simeone did, where heroic defensive performances are thrilling, not drab 0-0s against the club’s biggest and bitterest rivals?If not, he might have to learn to out-score even the biggest teams, not just out-concede them.

1 minute read
8/11/2017 | 04:33pmBarcelona forward Luis Suarez has said that former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho would thrive if he made the move to Camp Nou.Coutinho, 25, was strongly linked with Barcelona during the summer, and handed in a transfer request at Anfield in a bid to force the move.Liverpool were not prepared to do business with the Catalan giants, however, and rejected at least two bids in excess of £100m for the Brazil international.Coutinho is expected to push once again when the January transfer window opens for business, and Suarez has spoken of his admiration for his former teammate.Suarez told Mundo Deportivo:“Obviously he must have because he’s a player who has ambition and any player would want to come to Barca.“I know him as a person and as a player because I played with him, but everyone knows what Coutinho can contribute. He is a footballer, who today, plays at a very high level.”Coutinho, who is valued at £58.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has scored four times and provided three assists in nine appearances for the Reds this season.Barcelona eventually signed Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund after missing out on Coutinho, but it is thought that the La Liga leaders are still in the hunt for the former Inter Milan playmaker.

2 minute read
27/10/2017 | 07:50pmManchester City hope to sign Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, while Sergio Aguero is wanted by Real Madrid, according to Don Balon.What’s the word?During the summer transfer window, judging from all the media reports, Sanchez was closing in on a switch to the Etihad Stadium.Despite the interest, a deal never came to fruition and now the attacker is free to leave Arsenal for nothing at the end of the season.Don Balon reports that the Gunners will try to sell Sanchez in January in order to get some cash, which could pave the way for Aguero to move on.The Spanish publication claims that the Argentine is open to a move to Real Madrid, with Spain’s warmer climate being one of the attractions.What should Man City do?This season, Pep Guardiola has certainly got his team ticking, particularly in attack.The North-West outfit have a five-point advantage in the Premier League title race and are unbeaten in all competitions so far.City have been in scintillating form having scored 32 top-flight goals, and in five of their nine outings they have netted three or more.Adding Sanchez to that forward line would make Guardiola’s side even more threatening to the opposition.Plus, the Chile international is versatile in that he can play across the front line in various positions, which is something that Aguero has struggled with in the past.Can they keep both?If Sanchez was to join City, it is likely that Aguero would be the one that would have to sacrifice game time.There is no denying that the 29-year-old is a crucial member of the team given that he has scored 129 goals in 188 league games since his 2011 switch from Atletico Madrid.However, the striker’s fitness issues have been a concern, and as mentioned, Aguero does not possess the same level of versatility as Sanchez.Moving to Real Madrid could end up being the right fit for the forward.

According to the Daily Mirror, Jose Mourinho is keen to add Samuel Umtiti to his Manchester United squad this January.What’s the Story?After giving up on his pursuit to land Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho is looking at another French defender to join Manchester United this January. The man who is attracting the interest of the Portuguese manager is Samuel Umtiti, who is currently plying his trade at Barcelona.With new signing at Old Trafford Victor Lindelof failing to impress thus far and Luke Shaw clearly out of Mourinho’s thoughts for selection, United need to strengthen at the back.Umtiti, who is valued at £27million by Transfermarkt, reportedly has a £53million buyout clause in his Barcelona contract, a sum that Mourinho deems affordable.Should Manchester United sign Umtiti?It took a little while for the 23-year-old Frenchman to establish himself at Barcelona. However, he is now a mainstay of the side and has already played over 50 games for the Catalan club since signing in the summer of 2016.A perfect modern centre-half, Umtiti is quick, astute with ball at his feet and very intelligent. A partnership with current United defender Eric Bailly would be truly intimidating and would offer a solid foundation for Mourinho’s team to work from.Signing a player like Umtiti would also be beneficial for Manchester United due to the fact that he can play at left-back as well as centre-half. Given that the aforementioned Luke Shaw looks likely to move on, the club need some competition in that area of the field and Umtiti would certainly provide that.

1 minute read
5/12/2017 | 11:33pmEverton are keeping tabs on Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi ahead of a potential January move, according to the Daily Mail.What’s the story?The 28-year-old has been open about his desire to leave the Spanish club after falling out with head coach Eduardo Berizzo.Since getting substituted in a 3-3 draw with Liverpool in the Champions League, the midfielder has failed to win back his spot.The Daily Mail claims that Everton manager Sam Allardyce is keeping track of the situation, while the player’s representatives are contacting Premier League and Italian clubs about a January deal.It is believed that N’Zonzi has a buyout clause worth £35.2m, but the Toffees would push for a £25m fee.Where would N’Zonzi fit in at Everton?With Allardyce having only recently taken charge, he may use the January window to shape a team that best fits his style.N’Zonzi was never regarded in high esteem in England’s top flight during his time at Stoke City.However, since moving to Sevilla in 2015, the midfielder has shone and has proven that he can play a pivotal role.Morgan Schneiderlin has failed to win over every Everton supporter since joining the Toffees from Manchester United in January.With that being said, N’Zonzi could take his position or work alongside the midfielder, with either Gylfi Sigurdsson or Wayne Rooney playing in front.

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6/12/2017 | 12:04amWith the January transfer window only a few weeks away, many stories have been churning in the rumour mill.One involves Everton and former Stoke City midfielder Steven N’Zonzi, who left the Premier League for Sevilla in 2015.After falling out of favour at the Spanish club, the 28-year-old has suggested that he intends to move on.The Daily Mail reports that the Toffees are keeping tabs on the situation and would be willing to part with around £25m, which falls short of his £35.2m release clause.N’Zonzi sent the rumours into overdrive when he travelled to London on Tuesday, but it later emerged that he was in the capital to visit his son on a trip that was approved by Sevilla.Numerous clubs, including Arsenal and Serie A outfits, have also been linked with moves for the midfielder.Everton fans, who have experienced plenty of change this season with the sacking of Ronald Koeman and new appointment of Allardyce, have now had their say on the transfer rumour.Think you know the answer. If N’Zonzi comes it’s one underwhelming player replacing another.— David Arrow (@DavidArrow04) December 5, 2017Do we need N’Zonzi? #EFC— Ross Crombie (@RossCrombie) December 5, 2017I wouldn't have said so in the summer but who could have foreseen Morgan Schneiderlin forgetting how to play football?— Gary Shaw (@shawryblue) December 5, 2017N'Zonzi got a clause in contract for €35m get it done @Everton #EFC— #NSNO (@AllezAllezEFC) December 5, 2017#NZonzi yes please#Giroud yes pleaseSilly season is almost here again. Not Xmas! The transfer window, where we all play fantasy football with rumours and dreams of who we might sign 🙈 #EFC— Jake Cintra (@SuperJakeC) December 5, 2017Nzonzi would be a slightly odd signing considering the amount of cm's we have unless we're ditching Morgan mores when there are more obvious areas that need strengthening. #EFC #COYB— J Roche (@jamieroche) December 5, 2017N'Zonzi, Walcott, Dost and a Centre Back and january is a success #efc— 👾 (@Liam17Lewis) December 5, 2017

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6/12/2017 | 08:30amChelsea cemented a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday night, but it was tinged with disappointment.A 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge meant that Antonio Conte’s side finished second in Group C, with Roma taking top spot.The outcome has made the first knockout round that much harder for Chelsea as they could be drawn against Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain.On the night, Atletico nudged in front thanks to a goal from Saul Niguez, but Eden Hazard managed to drag the Blues back into the game.The Belgian’s effort deflected off Stefan Savic and into the net with 15 minutes of normal time remaining on the clock.Hazard almost became the provider when he set up Willian, who had little to do to grab the winning goal, but the Brazilian ended up sending the ball high over the crossbar.The 29-year-old has faced criticism from some Chelsea fans this season, and once again he was targeted.Others, though, jumped to the player’s defence.– Don’t know how some fans can disrespect Willian like he’s on Theo Walcotts level…absurd & fickle #cfc— Dean (@dean_trnslt) December 5, 2017Don’t understand why all these armchair ‘supporters’ continue to blame Willian everytime #cfc don’t win. How can you target a player who wasn’t even on the pitch when we conceded! #pathetic— Daninho (@islehood) December 5, 2017I saw both the games that PSG lost and I think with disciplined defending and by keeping Willian out we can beat PSG over 2 legs !!#CFC #ChampionsLeague— Blue Wizard (@joban_patel) December 5, 2017When Willian is at his best he can win games on his own. So inconsistent though which is why musonda needs chances #CFC— mason❄️ (@MasonClark14) December 5, 2017Willian should be docked 2 weeks wages , one for the miss and one for that pass ! #cfc— marshey (@marshey71) December 5, 2017Apart from missing that one vital chance, Willian was really impressive today ! Blaming him would be totally unlike a #CFC fan ! #CHEATL— SHYAM (@SHYAMTAN) December 5, 2017Never thought Willian will be able to outdo his performance against Man City but today in 20 minutes he didTotally neglected the positive impact Pedro madehuge opportunity missed #CFC— AayushKataria (@aayush11kataria) December 5, 2017Willian ruined so many counters it’s frustrating.. he can’t pass #cfc— Chelsea FC (@NarcosAlonso1) December 5, 2017

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27/10/2017 | 08:10pmManchester United have cooled interest in Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, according to Diario Gol.What’s the story?A few months ago, United manager Jose Mourinho was praising the Wales international to the high heavens, suggesting that he wanted to make a move.However, it seems that the Portuguese coach has now changed his mind about the 28-year-old, who moved to the Bernabeu from Tottenham Hotspur n 2013.Diario Gol claims that Mourinho has been put off by Bale’s injury record, which has prevented him from having a consistent run in the last season and a half.In the 2016-17 campaign, the attacker had spells on the sidelines with hip, ankle and calf problems, the latter of which is still troubling him as he has now missed six games of the current season.Should United forget about Bale?An injury-prone player can end up being a regretful purchase, and it is safe to say that over the past year or so, the Real Madrid star has struggled.When fit, though, the ex-Spurs star can be a game-changer and could propel United to the league title.There is always a risk when it comes to injuries, but Bale is certainly worth taking a chance on given that he has scored 70 goals in 159 games for the Spanish giants.Due to the fitness issues, United have every right to argue for a lower price tag than the £85m that Madrid spent to sign Bale four years ago.Whether Los Blancos are willing to consider a lower offer remains to be seen.

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6/12/2017 | 09:00amReal Madrid are considering a January move for Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, according to Corriere dello Sport.What’s the story?The midfielder’s current contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season and there are no indications as yet that the German intends to sign a new one.Juventus have been heavily linked with a move for Can, but now Corriere dello Sport report that Madrid have taken an interest.The report claims that manager Zinedine Zidane is keen to add a central midfielder to his squad when the transfer window reopens next month.Given that Can’s deal expires next summer, the midfielder could be available for a cheaper price in January.What can Liverpool offer?The Germany international recently told the Liverpool Echo that his reluctance to sign fresh terms at Anfield has nothing to do with money.Presumably it is about game time and the club’s ambitions, but the midfielder did not expand on the reasons to the media.Can has started 10 of the Reds’ 15 Premier League games this season and four in the Champions League.The 23-year-old is far from a bit-part player, but he is yet to really cement himself in Jurgen Klopp’s side.The Merseyside outfit are a way off being genuine title contenders, so with Juventus and Madrid showing an interest, it would be hard to turn them away.However, Can could find himself in a position where he is struggling to grab a regular place in his new team, particularly if the midfielder moves to the Bernabeu.

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27/10/2017 | 10:00pmManchester United are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, according to Diario Gol.What’s the story?The Brazilian has become an important figure in Zinedine Zidane’s team over the last few seasons, even though he has been at the club since 2013.The 25-year-old has started seven of Los Blancos’ nine La Liga games so far and all three of the club’s Champions League fixtures.Diario Gol reports that Casemiro is on United’s radar as manager Jose Mourinho looks to bolster his defensive options in midfield.However, there are suggestions that the Red Devils’ interest could be used to persuade Madrid into offering Casemiro a pay rise.Should United be wary?In short, yes. These situations have played out before when the likes of a big-name star uses another club to force their current outfit’s hand.There have been no indications that Casemiro is unhappy at the Bernabeu or is even open to moving on elsewhere.In the past, rumours of a sensational return to Old Trafford for Cristiano Ronaldo have emerged, only for the four-time Ballon d’Or winner to sign fresh terms at Madrid.A club of United’s stature should not allow themselves to get dragged into a cat and mouse situation, particularly if the player has no desire to join them.

Despite being held in high regard by almost all Liverpool fans who remember his time at the club, Luis Suarez’ latest comments may lose him some serious credibility amongst the Anfield faithful.Speaking to ​Mundo Deportivo, Suarez was asked about Philippe Coutinho and the incessant rumours linking the Brazilian with a move to Barcelona;“Obviously he must have wanted (to leave) because he is a player who has ambition and any player would want to come to Barcelona. He went through a difficult and very complicated moment but as a professional he has continued to show how good a player he is and the personal quality he has. Despite trying to leave Liverpool he continued helping the team and working. He is demonstrating as a professional who has the ambition to take a step further.”After hearing what their former player had to say on the matter, Liverpool fans were not happy and took to Twitter to express their displeasure;Suarez needs to shut up… https://t.co/BOnHXyvxNI— Coutinho🇧🇷 (@LFC_Coutinho7) November 8, 2017What gets me is people still celebrate 🎉 Suarez hang on his every word and all he is doing is tapping up coutinho for Barca starting the whole affair again 😡😡😡— Lfc_Talk_Podcast (@lfc_talk_pod) November 8, 2017Suarez is just a hypocrite. Has no respect for Liverpool. #LFC https://t.co/tAf8TS3jCs— NK (@SmartestNk) November 8, 2017Shut up you rat #Suarez https://t.co/GdJB2typ5Z— Keyur Sapra (@KSapLFC) November 8, 2017suarez was never loyal to Liverpool he turned his back on us and pretended to love us wn @LFC refused to sell him— Antony Mamvura (@AntonyMamvura) November 8, 2017Carry on calling Suarez an Lfc legend ..#TUT https://t.co/F7ejsbF9MP— Grizz (@GrizzKhan) November 8, 2017

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6/12/2017 | 10:32amAtletico Madrid were one of the teams to drop into the Europa League following their 1-1 draw in their final Champions League group game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, and Arsenal fans were quick to have their say on the news.The Gunners are one of the favourites to win the Europa League and have already qualified for the knockout stages, but now they have been joined by the likes of Atletico, Celtic, CSKA Moscow and Sporting Lisbon after those teams finished third in their Champions League groups.As things stand they are likely to be joined by the likes of Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig on Wednesday, and with AC Milan also already in the Europa League it is shaping up to be an exciting competition over the remainder of the campaign.Arsenal supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the latest bombshell, and while one simply said “life is unfair”, another said “we can’t catch a break”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…When Arsenal in Europa League only teams like Dortmund and Atletico Madrid will enter round of 32. When United was in Europa last year, teams like Spurs and Rostov will enter. Life is unfair 🙃— Dinesh (@dineshjohn98) December 6, 2017Atletico Madrid in the Europa League. This is a deliberate sabotage of Arsenal's title hopes. UEFA hates Wenger 😡😡— MikeThePundit (@MichaelImianvan) December 6, 2017Strongest line up in years I imagine, typical when Arsenal drop in to it 😂 https://t.co/C3vZXpcdG0— ✌🏻 Ŵęśtŷ™⚽️🍺 (@Westyafcm) December 6, 2017CSKA, Celtic, Atletico & Sporting all droping out to Europa League. Could be joined by likes of Napoli, Dortmund & Porto/Leipzig tomorrow. Insanely difference from last years campaign #afc— Bagheera (@BagheeraLoui) December 5, 2017Damn,tis is not gud pic.twitter.com/0Ec5UsxVjn— I know a guy (@TerryVitamin) December 5, 2017Said the other week that it would be a nightmare if certain teams dropped into the Europa League and of course that has now happened. We can’t catch a break 😫 #EuropaLeague #afc— MotherOfDragons (@thegoonerway94) December 6, 2017Transferring to UEFA Europa League round of 32:CSKA MoskvaCelticAtlético MadridSporting4 more teams will join them on Wednesday:Liverpool or Sevilla or SpartakShakhtar or NapoliPorto or Leipzig Dortmund or APOELArsenal luck… 😂😂#UEL #coyg #afc— Amar (@Arsene__Knows) December 5, 2017Atleti, Dortmund, Napoli in the Europa league. God save us. #UCL #AFC— TEJ (@sartejt) December 5, 2017

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9/11/2017 | 11:00amAccording to reports on Spanish website El Gol Digital, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao are all interested in signing Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino next summer and believe that he could be purchased for around €20m (approximately £17.7m).What’s the word, then?Well, even though the Magpies only completed a permanent deal for the 21-year-old – who signed a five-year contract – last month after he initially joined them on loan from Borussia Dortmund during the summer transfer window, he is already being linked with a move to his homeland.El Gol Digital says the Tyneside outfit are already aware of interest from a number of La Liga clubs and they point to Newcastle’s reported interest in Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almiron as a sign that the Premier League club are already preparing for the Spanish starlet’s exit.Merino has made a huge impact already for Rafa Benitez’s men this season – but he could be out until 2018 with a back injury after he missed their last two top flight matches and withdrew from the Spain U21 squad this week.How good has he been this season?He has been excellent, and the fact that Newcastle decided to make his loan move permanent so soon after he initially joined them proves that.As well as forming a strong partnership with the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden in the middle of the park, he has shown his defensive contribution with 14 clearances and 14 interceptions in nine Premier League appearances, according to Squawka.However, he has also shown he can be effective going forward too and as well as scoring the winning goal in the 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park last month, he has also shown his qualities on the ball by successfully completing 13 of the 17 take-ons he has attempted.Would Newcastle really sell him next summer?While the Magpies certainly wouldn’t want to sell the player considering he has only recently joined them on a long-term deal, but of course they could be tempted if they receive a huge offer for the 21-year-old.However, it would have to be far higher than the £17.7m that El Gol Digital are suggesting in their report.

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9/11/2017 | 02:20pmAccording to reports on Spanish website El Gol Digital, Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino is a target for La Liga trio Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, and Magpies fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.El Gol Digital says that the Spanish clubs believe they can get the 21-year-old for around €20m (approximately £17.7m) next summer, despite the fact that the Tyneside only signed him on a permanent basis last month following an impressive start to his loan spell from Borussia Dortmund.The Spain U21 international penned a five-year contract at St James’ Park and he has quickly become a key player in central midfield for Rafa Benitez’s men, even scoring the winning goal in the 1-0 victory at home to Crystal Palace in October.Newcastle supporters took to social media to give their verdict on the rumour, and while one simply said “what a joke”, another said “if Mikel goes it would be the start of the end for Rafa”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Didn't he already reject Bilbao to come to us? He's bound to end up at one of the top clubs eventually, but not yet. We've really unearthed a gem here— Hello, I am Nicky (@ORANGEYPURPLE) November 8, 2017Can't see him leaving this season… 😬— Baz Latimer (@baz_lat) November 9, 2017International break and all the bs stories are out. Ings linked now Merino away! Oh Carroll rtns yay silly season reporting per usual.— carl (@Ccsh007Carl) November 8, 2017Wat only 17.6 mil, he worth more than that !!!! We miss him big time !!!— Chris (@smartassunit) November 8, 2017If Mikel goes it would be the start of the end for Rafa. #NUFC Players like Merino are what managers build their team on.Can't see him going anywhere.— Mark Jobson (@seat87Area_N) November 9, 2017£17.6m? 🤣🤣🤣 sound 👍🏼 prices these days? U21 Spanish international? Rippin it up in the prem? #tryfiftymill— Chris Hall (@Chris_Hall1312) November 8, 2017No deal.— MatthewLaidlow (@MatthewLaidlow) November 8, 2017Haha what a joke— OnlyToon (@OnlyToonArmy) November 9, 2017I'd hope we'd ask for a massive amount more than that and actually keep him to build a team around.— Simon (@LittleHenryD) November 8, 2017

According to Don Balon, Liverpool wonderkid Ben Woodburn is attracting the interest of Barcelona who may look to sign the Wales international in the next 12 months.What’s the Story?As if Barcelona haven’t caused enough trouble for Liverpool already! Now, Spanish papers are reporting that the Catalan club are monitoring Ben Woodburn, as they look to invest in a youngster whose potential has caught the attention of the football world.Incredibly, Barcelona has the chance to sign Woodburn when he went for Spanish trials at the age of 12. However, the European giants decided against a move for the Welsh international. However, it seems that recent performances have re-ignited Barca’s interest.How good has Woodburn been this season?Despite having yet to play a minute of league football for Liverpool this year, Woodburn, who is valued at £1.35million by Transfermarkt has impressed in the League Cup and during pre-season.However, the 18-year-old has earned most of his accolades for his performances in a Wales shirt. The youngster has been a major catalyst for a number of recent wins for the Welsh national team and it is genuinely disappointing that his talents will not be on show in Russia during this Summer’s World Cup.Would Liverpool consider letting Woodburn go to Barca?While Liverpool will do almost everything in their power to ensure that Barcelona don’t land Woodburn, especially after the Coutinho debacle, the Reds can only do so much. If Woodburn wants to test himself at the very highest level then no one would begrudge him a move to arguably the biggest club in the world.

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9/11/2017 | 04:40pmChelsea star Eden Hazard is open to joining Real Madrid, but only if he is guaranteed first-team football, according to Don Balon.What’s the story?It is rare for the Belgian not to be linked to the Spanish giants when a transfer window is around the corner.The latest development in the saga comes from Don Balon, which reports that Hazard could move to the Bernabeu, but on one condition.It is believed that the 26-year-old wants to be guaranteed first-team football from manager Zinedine Zidane before signing on the dotted line.Hazard has made 13 appearances in all competitions this season after recovering from ankle surgery, and has scored three goals and created two assists in that time.How would this affect Conte?The Italian did not have the summer transfer window that he would have hoped for.The club’s strategy led to reports that the ex-Juventus boss could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge, but he dispelled the rumours by signing a new two-year deal.Chelsea’s chances of retaining the Premier League title have taken a hit as they currently reside nine points adrift of unbeaten leaders Manchester City.Losing Hazard would massively deplete the squad, and it could play a pivotal role in whether Conte continues on as manager, such is the midfielder’s importance.The Blues were criticised in the summer for allowing Nemanja Matic to join rivals Manchester United, and Conte does not want to find himself in a similar position.

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7/12/2017 | 09:00pmPhilippe Coutinho’s Liverpool future has been under the microscope ever since Barcelona made their interest known in the summer.The Catalan giants targeted the Brazilian after they sold Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record deal worth close to £200m.Liverpool could not be persuaded to sell, though, and managed to keep hold of their star attraction.Since the transfer was refused, Coutinho has managed to re-focus and score nine goals and create six assists in 14 appearances in all competitions.The rumours about a possible switch to Barcelona continue to rumble ahead of the January transfer window.Following Liverpool’s 7-0 thumping of Spartak Moscow, in which Coutinho scored a hat-trick, the Brazilian joined Carragher and former Norwegian striker Jan Aage Fjortoft in a televised interview.During the broadcast, Carragher’s phone began to ring, which prompted the interviewer to say “it’s probably Barcelona, it’s Barcelona!”The retired defender tried to save his embarrassment by saying “no, he’s staying” while gesturing towards Coutinho, who joined in with the laughter.The 25-year-old refrained from commenting on the speculation and continued talking about the game against Spartak.If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!

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7/12/2017 | 10:30pmReal Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has suggested that he is not interested in signing Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, reports the Metro.What’s the word?Ever since the shot-stopper’s proposed move to the Bernabeu collapsed in the summer of 2015, De Gea has been a rumoured target for the Spanish club in almost every window.Despite seemingly wanting to join Real at the time, the 27-year-old ended up making a U-turn and signed a new contract.As it stands, De Gea will become a free agent in 18 months’ time unless a 12-month extension is activated.Zidane has calmed speculation about a possible swoop for the keeper by telling reporters:“I have two goalkeepers, understand? I am a Real Madrid coach and I am happy with my two goalkeepers, I will always say the same. I saw Keylor well, although we can always give a little bit more, like always.”Should Zidane’s words be taken for face value?In the football world, things can change dramatically over the course of a day or two.Managers can lose their jobs after a handful of unsavoury results and players can pledge their commitment to a club a few months before moving on.Zidane’s comments could be an attempt to rid the squad of any potential distractions, particularly the goalkeepers.If Navas is concerned about losing his number one spot to De Gea, then his focus on upcoming games could be compromised.On the other hand, the Madrid boss may genuinely not be considering a swoop for the United star.However, until the transfer window passes, nothing can be ruled out.If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!

According to The Metro, Arsenal are ready to battle Real Madrid for the signing of Goalkeeper Kepa from Athletic Bilbao.What’s the Story?Growing speculation is mounting in Spain suggesting that Kepa, Athletic Bilbao’s 23-year-old Goalkeeper is being tracked by Arsenal, who may consider the player a long-term replacement for Petr Cech.However, Real Madrid are also reportedly interested in the Spanish star and could make a move for Kepa, if they fail in their final attempt to land David De Ga from Manchester United.Arsenal will be looking to strengthen their options in goal, with Petr Cech entering the twilight years of his career. With David Ospina not a viable first-team replacement and Emiliano Martinez not considered good enough to take the number one shirt, Kepa could well be an affordable option, if his £7.2million Transfermarkt valuation is anything to go by.How good has Kepa been this season?Over the past 18 months, Kepa has firmly established himself as the first choice stopper for an ever improving Athletic side.The 23-year-old has featured in 10 of the Basque clubs’ 11 domestic games and has impressed with his composure and maturity in spite of his age.Kepa is also starting to develop a string passing game, which seems to be a key element of the modern goalkeeper. His distribution is fantastic and his concentration when receiving the ball at his feet is tantamount to an outfield player.Arsene Wenger would be wise to act fast in claiming Kepa, who could well be a star of the future.

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8/12/2017 | 06:00pmManchester United manager Jose Mourinho has turned his attention to Real Madrid star Marco Asensio after giving up on Gareth Bale, according to Don Balon.What’s the word?During the summer window, Mourinho made it clear that he wanted Bale in his team if he became available at the Bernabeu.A transfer never materialised and now rumours are rife that the Red Devils have cooled their interest in the injury-prone Welshman.Don Balon reports that Asensio is the new target, but the Premier League giants are unwilling to pay his £442m release clause.United are prepared to offer a hefty fee in a bid to convince club president Florentino Perez to sell.Asensio right for United?It was widely reported prior to the start of the season that Mourinho wanted a new winger.Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic was thought to be the top target, but the Croatia international never made the move.Asensio is good enough to fulfil that role, but he offers more than skill in wide areas.The 21-year-old can also play further up in a left-sided attacking position, as well as centrally as a number 10 or up front.Given that the Spaniard has started just eight La Liga games and one in the Champions League under Zinedine Zidane, he may be open to moving on.Mourinho, though, has shown with the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Luke Shaw that if a player does not meet his standards, he will ruthlessly drop them.Asensio’s lack of game time this season and zero Premier League experience may result in him needing time to adapt.Having said that, the attack-minded star has still contributed with seven goals in all competitions.If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!

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28/9/2017 | 02:40pmTottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has been the talk of the football sphere these last couple of days following his goalscoring performance in the Champions League.The England international netted a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over APOEL on Tuesday night, which ensured that the club continue their winning run in the competition.Kane has proven season by season that he is one of the best forwards in the Premier League having won back-to-back Golden Boot awards, but now that he is showing it on the European stage, people are beginning to discuss whether he can be considered among football’s elite.So far in 2017, the 24-year-old has scored six hat-tricks, which is four more than Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Real Madrid hero Cristiano Ronaldo have recorded, with both nabbing two hat-tricks.Kane also leads the scoring charts in the Champions League with five goals in total, with Messi on two and Ronaldo on four.Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has done little to quieten the comparisons by claiming that Kane is as important to the North London outfit as Messi and Ronaldo are to their clubs.talkSPORT quotes the French goalkeeper as saying:“In every big team you have a big goalscorer. In Tottenham it is Harry Kane. I think for him he has got a lot of things to prove in the Champions League. He shows his quality and skills at the moment. Five goals in two games is fantastic and hopefully he will carry on in the same way for him and the team. We are not surprised about Harry, we know his talent, his skills, his aptitude to score goals and important goals. He is our main player, like in top teams, in Real Madrid you have Ronaldo, in Barca you have Messi.”

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28/10/2017 | 07:02pm
According to the International Business Times, Southampton are interested in signing Villarreal winger Alfonso Pedraza, who is currently on loan at fellow La Liga side Alaves.The IB Times says that the 21-year-old is considered to be one of the most promising young players to graduate from the Villarreal academy in recent years, and he would have made his loan move Championship side Leeds United last season permanent if they had have been promoted at the end of the campaign.The report says that the south coast outfit’s Premier League rivals Newcastle United have also scouted the attacker in action in Spain.Of course, Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino may have already have seen a number of scout reports on the player himself considering he was the coach of Alaves last season, but it may not be a smart decision to bring him to St Mary’s during the January transfer window or even next summer.Here are three reasons Southampton should steer clear of signing Pedraza….

According to ESPN, Manchester United are chasing the signature of in-form defender Aaron Martin, who plays for Espanyol.What’s the Story?Manchester United scouts were in Barcelona on Friday evening to watch Espanyol take on Levante. And reports have suggested that they were keeping a close eye on the home side’s left-back Aaron Martin.The 20-year-old, who is valued at £9million on Transfermarkt, only recently signed a long-term contract which would see him remain at Espanyol until 2022. However, providing Manchester United offer enough, Aaron could be on his way to Old Trafford.How good has Aaron been this season?An ever-present for much of Espanyol’s domestic campaign, Aaron has impressed with his maturity in spite of his young age. The Spaniard has played in all eight league games so far and has not looked at of place when facing some of the most talented stars in La Liga.At just 20, the defender has been part of a unit that have conceded just four goals all season…if you discount their 5-0 drubbing at Barcelona!Would Aaron be a good signing for Manchester United?This is a tough one to call. Firstly, it is likely that Aaron needs to feature in a few more games before United can decide whether to take a punt on the youngster.Secondly, the future of Luke Shaw at Old Trafford will likely be a defining factor in any proposed transfer for Aaron. Jose Mourinho’s well publicized outbursts regarding Shaw’s fitness have always meant that the former Southampton star’s future has been the subject of speculation.

3 minute read
10/11/2017 | 03:00pmAccording to reports on Spanish website El Gol Digital, Newcastle United could make a January move for Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen as he looks to strengthen his squad.What’s the word, then?Well, El Gol Digital says that Magpies manager Rafa Benitez has shown an interest in Real Sociedad stopper Geronimo Rulli, who is expected to leave the Basque outfit next summer, but he may not wait until then if he can sign Cillessen from Barca in the New Year.The 28-year-old has been the La Liga giants’ second-choice goalkeeper under Ernesto Valverde this term, and an exit seems likely sooner rather than later in order for him to play regularly.El Gol Digital says that Benitez is willing to hand him that chance, having failed with moves for the likes of Pepe Reina and Willy Caballero during the summer transfer window.How has Cillessen fared this season?Not too well.While he made 10 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan club last season, he has been limited to just one outing – in the Copa del Rey at the end of October – this term with Marc-Andre ter Stegen the undoubted number one.The Dutchman will certainly be frustrated at his lack of opportunities, and may well feel that he needs to leave the Camp Nou to get regular game time.Would he be a good signing for Newcastle?He certainly would be.While the 28-year-old has struggled to break into the starting XI at Barcelona you don’t earn a move there unless you have something special about you, and the Netherlands international was an impressive performer for Ajax previously, while he is a starter for his country.Cillessen kept 63 clean sheets in 143 matches for the Dutch giants, conceding 119 goals, and WhoScored.com says his strengths are in his reflexes, saving both close and long-range shots and his concentration.Would the addition be harsh on Rob Elliot?It probably would be as the 31-year-old has only conceded 10 goals in 11 Premier League matches this term having got the nod from Benitez to be his first-choice goalkeeper this season.However, if Newcastle want to push on and avoid being sucked into relegation battles in the future then they need to consistently strengthen their squad, and bringing in Cillessen would be a huge statement of intent.

2 minute read
9/12/2017 | 07:00amAccording to Diario Gol, Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move to re-sign Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric.What’s the story?Modric starred for Tottenham between 2008 and 2012, and it would be fair to say that the English club’s supporters were devastated when he joined Real Madrid.There is no question that the Croatian international has developed into one of the world’s best central midfielders over the last few years, and he has won three Champions League titles and one La Liga crown since making the move to the Spanish capital.Speculation surrounding Modric’s future has gathered pace in recent months though, with his contract due to expire in the summer of 2020.According to Diario Gol, Tottenham are closely monitoring proceedings, and the London club could launch a stunning move to re-sign the midfielder at the end of the 2017-18 season.Would Modric go back to Tottenham?Tottenham are a wonderful football club, there is no question about that. They are not, however, Manchester United.Nor are they Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester City in the current climate, with all three of those teams arguably having a more realistic chance of winning major silverware.If Modric, who is rated at £36m by transfermarkt.co.uk, did become available on the open market, it would be a surprise if the likes of United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal and Liverpool were not in the running.Modric’s relationship with Tottenham could well stand Mauricio Pochettino’s side in good stead, but a lot of things would have to occur for a deal to take place.Modric will be 33 next year, but the Croatian is still a stunning footballer, and if Real Madrid decide to sell, he will not exactly be short of interest.It is certainly a deal to watch over the coming months, but for the moment, he remains a key figure at the Bernabeu.If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!

1 minute read
10/12/2017 | 01:47pmReal Madrid will make a move for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris if Tottenham Hotspur fail to win a trophy this season, according to The Mirror.What’s the story?Widespread reports have suggested that Los Blancos will be looking for a new shot-stopper when the campaign comes to a close.Manchester United’s David de Gea and Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois have been touted as possible candidates.Now, The Mirror claims that Madrid are eyeing Lloris, who could be bought for around £25m if Tottenham end the season without silverware.The publication states that the Frenchman is happy with life in North London, but is wary of the fact that the club have not won a trophy since 2007-08.What should Tottenham do?In this instance, a hike in wages is unlikely to convince Lloris to stay put if he is considering a switch to the Bernabeu.Given the club’s modest wage structure, the goalkeeper would be handed a much bigger pay packet by Madrid anyway.When footballers enter their 30s, they are more likely to be assessing their career and if they are at a club that are not winning trophies, a change might be needed.Tottenham have come close in recent Premier League title races having finished third and then second, but Mauricio Pochettino’s men are already 15 points off the pace this season.It is difficult for most players to turn down Madrid, and if Spurs end another campaign without silverware, Lloris may edge towards the exit gates.If you’re going to put together a coupon this weekend, wait until you’ve seen the brace of bets we propose in the latest Football FanCast Accy Show! First up, we’re backing a treble of London Premier League clubs for outright wins—on a slip that benefits from LeoVegas Enhanced Odds. For the more cavalier, we’ve put together a pretty enticing fourfold from the EFL. Check it out and let us know what you’re backing this weekend!

1 minute read
18/10/2017 | 12:48pmTottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks posted on his official Twitter account after playing the full 90 minutes in his side’s impressive 1-1 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night, and Spurs fans were quick to praise him.What a night to be involved in🙌⚽️thanks to the travelling fans #coys— Harry Winks (@HarryWinks) October 17, 2017The 21-year-old was struggling for game time under Mauricio Pochettino earlier in the campaign and he featured for just 32 minutes in their opening six Premier League matches this term.However, injuries to Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama have seen him start the north London outfit’s last four matches in all competitions, and he made a huge impression against players like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos on what was a daunting occasion against the Champions League holders.Tottenham supporters took to social media to react to the England international’s latest post, and while some said they were “so proud” of him, others said “you’re staying forever”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…Immense. Just immense. So proud. #COYS— Talking THFC (@TalkingTHFC) October 18, 2017Modric has posters of you in his bedroom, goodnight Harry 👏🏼— Hotspur Edition (@HotspurEdition) October 17, 2017You're so much better than Modric— 🇮🇪 (@Aldertonghen_) October 17, 2017Hero— Jack Chang (@Jack1chang) October 17, 2017You didn’t look out of place for one single minute. Great performance.— Chris Fitzgerald (@cfitzy69) October 18, 2017You killed it kiddo. Keep it up. #COYS— Rob McGaw (@GudCanadianKid) October 17, 2017Mate. You're staying forever— Callum Sturt (@CallumSturt94) October 17, 2017

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Lionel Messi is breaking records left and right in the Spanish league

Lionel Messi is breaking records left and right in the Spanish league written

Lionel Messi is now the leading goalscorer in European Champions League history after he scored a hat trick for his team, Barcelona in its 4-0 win against the Apoel Nicosia. Raul, a former Real Mandrid forward held the leading goal scorer record in the Champions League with 71 goals but now Messi has scored 74 goals in this league.

How long it to Messi to break the record

Messi has scored the goals after only 91 appearances in the league. Raul who previously held the record, had scored 71 goals after appearing for 142 times in the Champions League. However, the player was unlikely to continue holding this record after Christiano Ronaldo and Messi had rewritten the history books. Messi started the night in the same position with Raul but after 38 minutes, he broke the record and then added other two goals for a later good measure. The player is now sitting three goals clear of Ronaldo who hopefully will feature for Real Madrid against the Swiss Side Barsei on Wednesday.

Considering that Lionel Messi is 27, this latest landmark is one of several he has reached in the most recent years. This great Barcelona player and whose future in the club is questionable did hit the news headlines last weekend after he scored another hat trick in a 5-1 win against Sevilla. The 251 Spanish League goals record of Telmo Zarra had stood for 59 years and it would only take a brave man to bet against the Messi’s remaining longer. Messi will possibly extend his 253 goals record in coming years and still extend the record he has set in the Champions League.

Total goals

In all competitions, Messi has scored 369 goals for Barcelona and also registered 91 times during an amazing 2012 and this was after beating Gerd Muller, the former best of 85 in the calendar year. The 2011-12 campaign was among his most successful after he scored 68 goals – 50 of them coming in only 37 league games and having used his left foot to score 44 of the goals and his head to score one of the goals.

Messi, who has also won the honored Ballon d’Or four times between the year 2009 and 2012, appeared in 21 consecutive matches in the league which helped him score against the many clubs in the top Spanish league fight. With Barcelona safely through to the competition’s next stage and following a poor campaign last year, hopefully, Messi will inspire the team to the Champions League glory.

Liverpool’s former player Luis Suarez who scored his first goal after joining Barcelona is among the men who are eager to assist Messi attain this. In Cyprus Suarez scored the team’s opening goal while Messi took over and scored three goals to secure their win. Barcelona is now sitting one point behind the Paris Saint-Germain which won their match against Ajax, 3-1 to remain at the top.

Messi is not the only striker from Argentina who hit a hat trick on Wednesday. Sergio Arguero also scored three goals for Manchester City enabling them to defeat Bayern Munich 3-2. The team trailed 2-1 to the 10 men Bayern Munich but within the last five minutes Aguero managed to score twice and kept his team’s hopes for qualification alive. Bayern which has already passed through the knockout stage suffered the nightmare start after Mehdi Benatia was dispatched due to a professional foul on Sergio Aguero.

Choose

Pioneering Oklahoma energy CEO dies in fiery car crash

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Aubrey McClendon, a natural gas industry titan, was killed when police say he drove his sport utility vehicle ”straight into a wall” in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, a day after he was indicted on a charge of conspiring to rig bids to buy oil and natural gas leases in northwest Oklahoma.
Police Capt. Paco Balderrama said McClendon, co-founder of Chesapeake Energy and a part-owner of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, was the only occupant in the vehicle when it slammed into a concrete bridge embankment shortly after 9 a.m..

The NBA just can't get enough of Michael Beasley. The Houston Rockets are expected to sign the MVP of the Chinese Basketball Association, ESPN reported Wednesday.

Beasley, the former No. 2-overall pick in 2008, played in 24 games last season for the Heat, averaging 8.8 points. The Rockets would be the fourth team that has taken a chance on Beasley, who has averaged 13 points and 4.8 rebounds during his seven-year career.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Aubrey McClendon, a natural gas industry titan, was killed when police say he drove his sport utility vehicle ''straight into a wall'' in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, a day after he was indicted on a charge of conspiring to rig bids to buy oil and natural gas leases in northwest Oklahoma. Police Capt. Paco Balderrama said McClendon, co-founder of Chesapeake Energy and a part-owner of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, was the only occupant in the vehicle when it slammed into a concrete bridge embankment shortly after 9 a.m. ''He pretty much drove straight into the wall,'' Balderrama said. ''The information out there at the scene is that he went left of center, went through a grassy area right before colliding into the embankment. There was plenty of opportunity for him to correct and get back on the roadway and that didn't occur.''

McClendon's death follows an announcement Tuesday that he had been indicted by a federal grand jury. Balderrama says it's too early to say whether the collision was intentional. He said McClendon was not wearing a seat belt and that he was driving faster than the 50 mph speed limit. The Department of Justice said in a statement Tuesday that McClendon, 56, was suspected of orchestrating a scheme between two large energy companies, which are not named in the indictment, from December 2007 to March 2012. The companies would decide ahead of time who would win bids, with the winner then allocating an interest in the leases to the other company, according to the statement. In a statement released Tuesday after his indictment, McClendon denied violating antitrust laws. ''The charge that has been filed against me today is wrong and unprecedented,'' McClendon said. ''Anyone who knows me, my business record and the industry in which I have worked for 35 years, knows that I could not be guilty of violating any antitrust laws.

All my life I have worked to create jobs in Oklahoma, grow its economy, and to provide abundant and affordable energy to all Americans. I am proud of my track record in this industry, and I will fight to prove my innocence and to clear my name.'' Department of Justice spokesman Mark Abueg declined to comment on the impact McClendon's death would have on the case. McClendon could frequently be spotted in his courtside seats near the Thunder bench in the arena named after the company he founded in 1989 with his friend, Tom Ward, with an initial $50,000 investment. They eventually grew the company into one of the largest independent producers of natural gas in the United States.

He left the company in January 2013 amid philosophical differences with a new board of directors, and founded American Energy Partners, where he was chairman and CEO. ''Aubrey's tremendous leadership, vision, and passion for the energy industry had an impact on the community, the country, and the world,'' AEP said in a statement. ''We are tremendously proud of his legacy and will continue to work hard to live up to the unmatched standards he set for excellence and integrity.'' McClendon was renowned for his aggression and skill in acquiring oil and gas drilling rights. As drillers learned to unlock natural gas from shale formations over the last decade, McClendon pushed the company to acquire enormous tracts of land in several states.

The strategy landed the company promising assets, boosted the company's own production and helped fuel the national boom in natural gas production. But it saddled Chesapeake with enormous debt. Chesapeake eventually became victim of its own success. Natural gas prices plummeted along with all the new drilling by Chesapeake and its peers, reducing revenues for the company and making the debt harder to repay. Chesapeake's 20-acre campus sprawls through an exclusive area of Oklahoma City, its Georgian-style brick buildings surrounded by manicured lawns and sycamore and elm trees. McClendon's death is the second fatal crash this year connected to the Thunder organization. Assistant coach Monty Williams' wife, Ingrid, died Feb. 10 after she was involved in a head-on crash in Oklahoma City. --- Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy

Brand Names: Duac Acanya, BenzaClinGeneric Name: topical Clindamycin and Benzoyl Peroxide Benzaclin
BenzaClin Gel is a medication that contains a combined formula of clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide and is used to treat acne
Benzoyl peroxide is an antiseptic/ antibacterial. But it has a mild drying effect on skin that prevents excess oil production.
Clindamycin is an antibiotic compound that inhibits the growth of bacteria
Directions:

Before you start using this medication, let the pharmacist or doctor know about your allergies, especially if you are allergic to benzoyl peroxide, lincomycin or clindamycin. Even if there are some allergies not related to medicines.

Use exactly as prescribed by the doctor.

Do not apply or intake in amounts more than prescribed, it will only increase side effects without accelerating the effectiveness.

Do not let it enter your eyes, nose, mouth or on lips. If it does get in these areas then wash with water immediately.

Do not apply on skin that is sunburned or dry or wounded.

Tell your doctor if conditions do not improve or worsen.

Precautions:

Wash the area of application with a mild cleanser

Do not use if you have allergy towards either clindamycin or benzoyl.

Wash your hands before and after applying

Do not use if you have ulcerative colitis or inflammation of intestines.

Do not use if you ever had severe diarrhea caused by use of antibiotics.

Apply daily, twice a day, during morning and evening.

Do not use if you have certain intestinal disorders.

The effects of this medicine on fetus is unknown, hence pregnant women should not use it.

Breastfeeding women should not use, because it is not known whether the med can absorb into the milk or not.

Do not use this medication if you are currently battling some other serious medical conditions.

The medicine does not work very fast so show patience and complete prescribed amount.

Store in a cool and dry place, away from sunlight, heat and moisture. But do not freeze either

Throw away when the expiary date has reached which is usually after 3 months.

Benzoyl peroxide is a bleaching agent for fabrics and hair .So Do not let this medicine have any contact with hair or clothes
Missed Dose
Whenever you remember the missed dose, apply it immediately
If it is almost time for the next dose than skip the missed dose and apply the scheduled one.
Overdose
Seek immediate medical attention in case a reaction, allergy or harmful symptoms develop.
Symptoms of overdose due to excessive absorption in body include:

bloody diarrhea,

watery diarrhea

Avoid

Avoid using those skin products that cause drying and irritation, which includes harsh soaps and skin cleansers

Do not expose skin to sunlight or tanning beds. Wear sunscreen out door.

Do not use hair dyes or permanent chemicals on hair or skin while you are using this medicine.,

Do not use hair removal chemicals or hair removal waxes while you are currently on prescription.

Do not use skin products that constitute alcohol, astringents, spices or lime.

Do not use extra skin products that are also medicated, except if the doctor advised to.

Antibiotics can give rise to secondary new infections, such as diarrhea. If you start having diarrhea which has water blood in it, then get medical advice and attention before using any other medicine for the diarrhea.

Do not start any new medication for some other condition before telling the doctor.

Cystic acne is a severe type of acne vulgaris that affects the skin tissue that is more deeper down than common acne. Cystic acne happens to be a type of abscess that occurs when oil ducts get infected, the ones which are commonly under skin. Due to this reason, cystic pimples will usually appear to originate further underneath the surface than common pimples.
SeverityCystic acne is one of those acne types that are most difficult to cure, although regular acne is originated by the same bacteria called ‘P.acnes’. It consists of very painful lesions and have greater probability of scarring the skin tissue in comparison to moderate or mild level of severity. It is very common that after the cystic acne has been cured it leaves behind deep scars for the victim to battle with for a year or two, before they can fade.
Occurrence
Severe cystic acne is more common in men but women can get it too. Women usually have cystic acne on the lower half of the face.
Cause
They are caused by clogged up pores that get filled with oil and dead skin which then becomes inflamed.They turn into cystic acne when the pore ruptures, hence causing the inflammation to spill out and spread into the surrounding tissue. The cyst is actually the secretions of the body that prevents the inflammation from spreading further. They appear to be swollen, red bumps on the face. These pimples reside underneath the deeper skin's surface and they never form any whiteheads or black-heads, and this makes them difficult to pop.
Precaution
If they are treated incorrectly, the condition will aggravate, especially if you try to squeeze or extract them, which will push the infection even further below the skin's surface. Cystic acne hurts because they are inflamed and the swelling affects nearby nerve fibers which resultantly arouses pain.

Cause:

1-Hormones:
The skin's oil glands become hypersensitive to excess male hormones, theAndrogen hormone which is commonly produced in abundance during puberty, women also have male hormones that can trigger and react by overproducing sebum. So much sebum and oil is being produced that the follicle gland becomes clogged and swollen with the over stimulated sebaceous glands, it gets stuck in pores and sticks with bacteria. The bacteria start to multiply, causing an inflammation that forms a cystic pimple. Not being able to excrete out any of the extra material to the surface, the gland then bursts beneath the skin, and creates a swollen mass called a nodule or cyst, that is large in size, and situated below the surface. Although not a lot is known about the main cause of why some people get cystic acne, there is likely a genetic component involved. It is most likely to occur during:

The onset of puberty

Pregnancy

Menstrual cycle

menopause

2-Stress: While you are under pressure, your stress level rises and your body responds by stimulating the production of a hormone called cortisol which is also a hormone that over stimulates oil glands.
Appearance of Cystic Acne
Cystic acne nodules appear to be raised red bumps that are situated deep beneath the skin surface.

They do not have a whitehead opening, but it can be otherwise.

They are always painful at touch and even when not touched.

lesions of cystic acne can usually be felt to be present beneath the skin even when they have not yet appeared on the surface.

The specific appearance of the cystic acne lesion is due to the oil gland damage, which causes intense inflammation which results in soreness and swelling.
Scarring
Due to the deep situated position of these lesions, any squeezing or picking can be ineffective and rather extends the healing time that it takes, as well as increase the risk of permanent scarring. Scarring is more common in cystic acne because of the collagen-damaging infection of deep tissue. Cystic acne scars are of three forms:

Atrophic scars: sunken but shallow, can be effectively treated.

Boxcar-shaped scars: harder to treat.

Ice pick-shaped scars: narrow and deep.

Treatment
Many dermatologists regard the cystic category as the most severe type and admit that traditional treatments are usually ineffective on them. It is not possible to completely avoid development of cystic acne, a person is either prone to it, or not. But you can minimize its occurrence or severity.

Spot Treatment:Apply a warm compress for few minutes about three times a day, in order to bring the pimple to a head. Dab acne gel on it to dry it up.

Common sense skin-care tips for treatment:

Keep skin-care routine simple and follow it with regularity.

Use gentle but effective cleansers because harsh cleansers will make conditions worse.

Avoid bar soaps.

Avoid scrubs and exfoliation.

Apply benzoyl peroxide as antiseptic for the bacteria in pores.

Never use thick moisturizers in form of creams since these can clog pores, rather use lightweight gels.

Traditional therapy may be of help, but most often that is not the case. If these treatments are not successful after even four weeks of daily treatment, then see a dermatologist.
Procedures

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT):It has promising results, a series of PDT treatments can reduce the size and opening of oil glands so that less amount of oil is produced in the pores and, also destroys bacteria which can minimizes breakouts. This procedure involves a topical application of a photosensitizing cream on which repeated, controlled blue or red LED light exposure is projected. The treatment takes several visits to a dermatologist and time of a few months

Oral Antibiotics:There are several types of oral antibiotics available and are options for short-term. Side effects are limited to nausea, dizziness, headache, rash and gastro-intestinal problems for example diarrhea and abdominal pain. Oral antibiotics should also be used along with topical products. The most common antibiotics available by prescription are:

Tetracycline
Doxycycline
Minocycline

Hormone Therapy:For women the constant over production of androgens causes cystic acne. Drugs which block the production of androgens can be helpful, these prescription drugs are have side effects too.

Isotretinoin:Isotretinoin is an oral medication that directly affects the oil gland by changing its shape and stopping excretion of oil. Isotretinoin has serious side-effects. There is Risk to a fetus if you are pregnant, dry skin, hair loss, nose bleeds and liver function problems.

Lancing:or draining the cyst with a sharp needle is a medical procedure, best done under supervision of a licensed professional. Improper lancing results in scarring and infection.

Cortisone Shot: In this procerure, pimple is injected with cortisone, a steroid that reduces inflammation under the skin and shrinks swelling around the infection. Within six hours the pimple disappears.

Advice

Do not touch the cysts or pick at blemishes, that will push the infection deeper spread it.

Just relax. Stress causes body to release certain hormones which make acne worse.

Follow a healthy lifestyle. Do not compromise yoursleep and exercise routine.

Have a low-glycemic diet which limits sugar and suppress symptoms.

Losing out to Jamaica and Panama was pretty embarrassing, and a number of fans projected their dissenting voices demanding that Jurgen Klinsmann be fired. Nevertheless, some are on the contrary and want Klinsmann to remain as the head coach of United States Men’s National Team (USMNT). While the opponents complain that Klinsmann has brought nothing but misery to the USMNT, the proponents are for the view that he has done a lot of good things, and even go further to point out how he has flourished in the most recent World Cup. Going by their arguments and views, it is safe to suggest that both of these groups are right.

When penning down his contract and agreeing on different terms, U.S. soccer president Sunali Gulati agreed to make Klinsmann both the head coach and technical director of USMNT. As if that was not enough, Klinsmann was allowed to have a say in the operation of under-17 and under-20 national teams. Considering the immensity of his powers, Jurgen Klinsmann was able to create a new under-23 national team as well as influence how the Development Academy system operates. To be honest, all of these roles are too huge for one person, no matter how perfect someone is or seems to be.

During his appointment, Klinsmann was to manage the senior national team, and before meeting Jamaica, he made it clear that one of his top priorities in the 2015 summer was to win the Gold cup. However, we can confidently say Klinsmann is not walking the talk, not after fielding a team in a formation they had not played in since February 2015. Of course, Jamaicans beat the U.S. in that match and this is what he said after the match-“the luck was not with us and maybe we were not clinical enough to put it in there”. To me, that is a scapegoat. Surely, how do you expect a team to be clinical when they are playing in a formation they are not familiar with?

“Passing combination, rhythm wise, and effort wise; everything was there,” says Klinsmann after the 2-1 loss to Jamaica. “That was a lot of good stuff we saw out there; only that we could not put something in,” he adds. Well, this was not all about luck because in real sense, you cannot expect luck to come to your side when you put together an unbalanced roster and spend the group stage experimenting with personnel. Despite all the laments and complaints, it is fair to demand that head coach Klinsmann be judged by the team’s overall quality and performance rather than their results. After all, fluke losses happen to everyone, including experienced and celebrated managers.

Nevertheless, even the overall performance is not encouraging either. Looking at the USMNT performance in the World Cup, they were totally outplayed by Ghana and needed miracle goalkeeping from Tim Howard and bad finishing from the Black Stars (Ghana) to win the match. Despite outplaying Portugal, USMNT gave up a 95th minute equalizer because he (Klinsmann) decided to abruptly change the compact back four to a crowded back five late in the game, thereby, bringing in a lot of pressure, which gave Portugal a stunning chance to sneak a goal. Against Germany, the team had little to do. And in their round of 16 match against Belgium, they needed good goalkeeping and magical saves from Howard to escape the historic and somewhat embarrassing exit. That match was probably the most lopsided game of the entire World Cup after the Brazil-Germany one (which was undoubtedly the first in that category).

We note from the analysis that USMNT was only good in one match (against Portugal), which, unfortunately, was also tainted by a bad coaching decision that directly resulted in dropping two crucial points. If we are to judge Klinsmann on results then World Cup was definitely a job well done. But if we are to judge him on overall quality and performance then we can say confidently that his tenure has experienced more than a few shaky moments. Back-to-back bad finishes against Jamaica and Guatemala in the third round of World Cup qualifying brought the United States at the brink of not even making the Hex. Ideally, they needed a 90th minute magic goal to see off Antigua and Barbuda. While their barren draw at Estadio Azteca is quite motivating, Costa Rica and Jamaica achieved the same result away to Mexico, while Honduras recorded a win.

Therefore, going by these facts, it is really hard to defend USMNT’s current head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Perhaps the time has come for the U.S. to try something new under someone new. After all, nothing is as good as change.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Malik Jackson shook his head several times as he tried to come up with the last Jacksonville Jaguars player to record double-digit sacks in a season.

“John Henderson?”

Close. The Jaguars haven’t had anyone reach the 10-sack mark since Bobby McCray in 2006.

“Who?” Jackson said. “Never heard of him.”

Few have. McCray never had more than six sacks in any of his other five seasons. His career year earned him a $20 million contract with New Orleans in free agency and left Jacksonville with a decade-plus-long search for the franchise’s next double-digit guy.

The Jaguars are still looking as they open the season at Houston on Sunday.

“We have a lot of potential to be great in this D-line and do things a lot of people haven’t done in a while,” Jackson said. “The great thing about this organization is it’s newer to the point where we can accomplish great things and have a lasting legacy here in Jacksonville with this team.

“It’s a great opportunity to break records and create records.”

Jacksonville likely needs to end its sad-sack streak to improve defensively. The unit finished sixth in the NFL in yards (321.7) in 2016, but lacked steady pressure on opposing quarterbacks that leads to game-changing turnovers.

Still, Yannick Ngakoue set a team rookie record with eight sacks and Dante Fowler Jr. flashed while returning from a knee injury that wiped out his first year. But neither was the complete and consistent edge-rusher Jacksonville has sought for so long.

Jaguars czar Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell revamped the line by parting ways with Jared Odrick, Sen’Derrick Marks and Roy Miller in the offseason and signing veteran defensive end Calais Campbell to a four-year, $60 million contract in free agency. Campbell’s role is to be a disruptive presence and a guiding force.

“That’s a guy that does it the right way all the time, each year,” Ngakoue said. “I sit next to him every time we have meetings and soak in every bit of information I can.”

Throw in Jackson, who signed a six-year, $86.1 million in 2016, and the Jaguars believe they’ve got a group capable of controlling the line of scrimmage. They haven’t had that since Henderson and Marcus Stroud anchored the front in the 2000s, the one that helped McCray get 10 sacks.

Since then, the Jaguars have spent millions of dollars and a myriad of draft picks trying to find the right combination.

Derrick Harvey was arguably the most significant mistake. The Jaguars traded four picks to Baltimore to move up 18 spots and select the Florida standout eighth overall in 2008. Harvey managed eight sacks in three seasons and remains one of the biggest busts in franchise history.

And the search continues. Tampa Bay is the only NFL team with a longer streak without a player with double-digit sacks. Simeon Rice accomplished the feat for the Buccaneers in 2005.

“That’s kind of the benchmark in our league — 10 sacks,” Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash said. “The biggest thing is we pressure the quarterback. It doesn’t necessarily mean you got to sack him. You can disrupt him and bad things happen.

“We don’t want those guys to press to try to meet a number. We just want them to play within the scheme and make plays.”

Watch full match highlights from Mainz and Bayer Leverkusen.

METAIRIE, La. — Adrian Peterson suggests it is “crazy” to assume he isn’t still one of the best running backs in the NFL just because he’s 32 years old and has had two knee surgeries.

In a few days, the new Saints running back gets his chance to demonstrate his point against the team that let him go in the city where he became arguably the best ball carrier of his generation.

“I’m pretty excited about it — just trying to keep myself calm until Monday night comes around,” said Peterson, who spent all of his previous 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. “I’m looking for amazing things to happen for me and our team.”

Peterson’s logic is “just based on the work that I put in and just honestly the God-given ability I’ve been blessed with.”

The Saints have been relatively cautious with Peterson, who missed most of last season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He played only a few snaps in the preseason, with just a handful of carries for 2 to 3 yards each and one screen pass that lost a yard.

Last year’s knee surgery was his second. Then again, his career-best 2,097 yards rushing in 2012 came one year after his first knee surgery, an ACL reconstruction.

Peterson also likes to point out that he led the NFL with 1,485 yards rushing in 2015, “behind a mediocre offensive line,” he added, after missing 15 games the previous season, when he was dealing with the legal and public relations fallout from his use of force to discipline his then-4-year-old son.

With his first Saints camp under his belt, Peterson asserts, “I’m back and I’m healthy.”

“It’s just always crazy sitting back and seeing how, just because, you know, I’m 32 now, people say, `Oh, well, he’s losing it because this back or that back lost it around that time,'” Peterson said after practice Thursday . “But you erase the (2015) season when I came back after sitting out for a year and led the league in rushing.”

Peterson also noted that while the type of meniscus surgery he had typically requires about six months’ rehabilitation, he spent $10,000 per week of his own money for special treatments that helped accelerate his recovery so that he could try to play late last season. He got back for one game in mid-December, but with Minnesota out of the playoffs and a groin injury surfacing, he was taken out of the lineup again for the final two games.

“I didn’t leave anything on the table,” Peterson said. “I gave it my all, with everything that I did.”

Peterson signed his free-agent contract with New Orleans shortly after the NFL schedule came out, pitting the Saints against Minnesota in Week 1. But Peterson noted that the deal was virtually done before the schedule was released, and only technical contract language remained to be hashed out.

Peterson maintains that he was willing, after last season, to try to work out a new deal to stay in Minnesota after it became clear the Vikings wouldn’t exercise his $18 million option , but took the Vikings’ signing of Latavius Murray as his cue to look for a new team.

“For me to have an exit meeting and the next time I talked to them I was getting a call at 1 o’clock in the morning saying we’re signing Latavius Murray, that’s no ego blow for me,” Peterson said matter-of-factly. “For me, that’s motivation. Congratulations. Now I can move on and take my abilities somewhere else.”

He has taken them to a team that won’t need him to be the workhorse he’s been since his rookie season out of Oklahoma in 2007, when he set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards. Now he’s in the backfield with a record-setting quarterback in Drew Brees, who led the NFL in passing last season for a record seventh time.

Peterson describes the breadth and intricacies of Saints coach Sean Payton’s playbook as “something I have never seen.”

“I’m sure I’ll have my opportunities,” Peterson said. “But when you have that many playmakers, you have to put them in the game.”

And while Peterson doesn’t hide his eagerness to make his Saints debut in Minnesota, he said he still very much appreciates his time there, expects to one day be in their ring of honor and is even looking forward to receiving in his Minneapolis hotel room some chocolate chip cookies a particular fan who has long baked for the Vikings, and who said she would leave some for him this year as well.

Peterson added that as long as the Saints win, he doesn’t really care how they do it, adding that he doesn’t want to his highly hyped return to Minnesota to be a distraction for his team.

For their part, his teammates don’t seem to mind.

“No matter how much you want to play that down, he’s one of, if not the greatest player in that organization’s history and they made a decision to let him go and we were fortunate enough to grab him,” right tackle Zach Strief said. “I don’t know that there’s grudges held, but I think it would be inhuman not to have a desire to play well against your former team. … We’re excited to get to go out and play with him.”

HOUSTON (AP) J.J. Watt is being honored by the NFL Players Association after raising more than $29 million for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Watt was named the NFLPA’s Community MVP on Friday for his work in the days since the hurricane and flooding devastated Houston and much of southeast Texas.

Watt announced the fundraising page with a video on Twitter after Houston’s preseason game against the Saints in Aug. 26, with a goal of collecting $200,000. As donations kept pouring in, he raised the goal again and again. The number skyrocketed thanks to almost 200,000 donors including Jimmy Fallon, Ellen DeGeneres, Drake and Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul.

Watt also worked with his foundation to fill 12 semi-trucks with supplies, which were brought to Houston and distributed in part by Watt and his teammates on Sunday.

The NFLPA will contribute $10,000 to Watt’s foundation for the honor. He becomes a semifinalist for the Byron Whizzer White Award, given annually by the group to recognize charitable efforts of players.

Alexis Sanchez aired out his frustrations after two losses with Chile, but he now has to find a way to push on as he returns to Arsenal.

NEW YORK (AP) — Green Bay Packers tight end Martellus Bennett plans to give his older brother, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, a hug when he sees him this weekend.

Recent events off the field make their teams’ juicy NFL season-opener on Sunday seem trivial by comparison.

Martellus Bennett, who went to high school in Taylor, Texas, has been working to raise money and supplies for residents of flood-ravaged parts of that state. And this week, Michael Bennett released a statement alleging racially motivated excessive force by the Las Vegas police.

“Sometimes, a hug is the best thing you can give,” Martellus Bennett says as his voice starts cracking. He talks to his brother several times a week.

“Two seconds this way, two seconds that way, the whole thing is different,” he adds. “So for me, I’ll just be happy to see my brother.”

Once the game kicks off, the Bennetts probably won’t have to face each other on Lambeau Field. But the matchup between Seattle’s tough-as-nails defense and Green Bay’s potent offense should be intriguing.

They appear to be the two best teams in the NFC, and this could be a preview of a playoff in January.

“Yeah, our two teams know,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says.

“When you start the season, training camp, I’m sure 32 teams are talking about winning the Super Bowl. It’s not really the case. There’s not that many teams that have those squads that could do it. Us and Seattle are usually in the mix. They have been and we have been for a long time. You know it’s going to be two teams that expect to be there in the end.”

The season got going on Thursday when Kansas City stunned defending champion New England 42-27 in the season opener.

Alex Smith threw two long touchdown passes and rookie Kareem Hunt, after fumbling on his first NFL carry, scored three times for the visiting Chiefs.

The Patriots faded badly in the second half. Tom Brady, the 13th quarterback to start an NFL game at age 40, struggled mightily in the second half and didn’t throw for a touchdown.

Also, the opener between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins that was scheduled for Sunday was postponed by the NFL until Nov. 19 because of Hurricane Irma.

Nowhere in a medical dictionary will you find the term “Super Bowl malaise.” No matter: It exists.

Will the Atlanta Falcons fall victim to it? They insist not, saying they have got rid of all the angst and disappointment from their epic collapse at the Super Bowl well before they gathered for training camp.

The Falcons come into the season eyeing another big run, and that starts with the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

“The way this team has developed, the way this team has pushed itself, we are a better team than we were last year,” Atlanta safety Ricardo Allen says. “And if we made it to the Super Bowl last year, we have a fairly good chance of making it fairly far this year.”

The Falcons were a surprise NFC champion last year, going from 8-8 in coach Dan Quinn’s first season to 11-5. They appeared to be on their way to their first Super Bowl victory with a 25-point lead over New England, only to see Brady and the Patriots rally to beat them in overtime.

Not since the Buffalo Bills dropped four in a row in the 1990s has a losing team returned to the Super Bowl the following season.

The prime-time spotlight on Monday will shine on Adrian Peterson’s return to Minneapolis. He’s not the top running back for the New Orleans Saints – Mark Ingram is – but Peterson will be the focal point against a Minnesota defense that needs more consistency. Peterson was released in the offseason after 10 years as a Viking.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer got testy when asked about Peterson.

“I’m just going to talk about my players,” Zimmer says. When asked if Peterson will have a chip on his shoulder, Zimmer responds: “I hope we have a chip on our shoulder. This game isn’t about Adrian Peterson. It’s about the Vikings and the Saints. They’ve got a lot of great offensive weapons and he’s a great player, but this game isn’t about Adrian Peterson.”

ALTO DE L’ANGLIRU, Spain (AP) Chris Froome effectively sealed his first Spanish Vuelta title after maintaining the overall lead on the final competitive stage of the grand tour on Saturday.

Froome increased his advantage over Italian Vincenzo Nibali through the rainy 117.5-kilometer (73-mile) mountainous ride in Stage 20 from Corvera de Asturias to a grueling summit finish at the Alto de l’Angliru.

Under race tradition, the top riders do not challenge each other in the final stage.

A four-time Tour de France champion, Froome has finished the Vuelta as runner-up on three occasions. He came in behind Juanjo Cobo in 2011, Alberto Contador in 2014 and Nairo Quintana last year.

Barring a mishap or accident on Sunday’s ceremonial arrival in Madrid, the 32-year-old Froome will become only the third rider to complete the Tour-Vuelta double in the same season. Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978) achieved the feat when the Vuelta was still held in the spring before the Tour.

Poised to finally break his streak of runner-up finishes at the Vuelta, Froome allowed himself a huge smile as he crossed the finish line. The British rider extended his lead of 1 minute, 37 seconds at the start of the day to 2:15 ahead of Nibali, who won the Vuelta in 2010 and finished second in 2013.

Contador, who will retire after the race, won Stage 20 with an attack from distance to put a fine finish to his career that has included seven grand tour wins, including three Vuelta titles.

Contador left his last adversary with five kilometers left, with Spanish fans cheering him on as he powered his way up the brutal last ascent.

Froome and Sky teammate Wout Poels dropped Nibali on the last stretch. Poels crossed second right in front of Froome, 17 seconds after Contador.

Nibali’s Bahrain-Merida team set the pace up the second of three climbs included in the stage in the northern mountains. The move shed all but the hardiest riders from Froome’s group heading up the category-one Alto del Cordal, only for Nibali to fall on the descent down the wet road and needing help from a teammate to make up the lost time. Marc Soler, who was at that point leading the stage, and David de la Cruz also crashed on the same descent.

After losing several minutes on the race’s second stage, Contador dedicated the rest of his final event to attacking whenever possible. The Madrid-born rider didn’t disappoint with another daring attack to claim his second career win at the demanding Alto de l’Angliru in 3 hours, 31 minutes, 33 seconds.

It was a brilliant final page of a great but controversial career. The 34-year-old Contador is second only to the great Miguel Indurain in Spanish cycling lore after winning the Tour twice. But he was also shamed when stripped of a third Tour title for doping.

”There cannot be a more beautiful finish than this, winning at Alto de l’Angliru to put an end to my sporting career,” Contador said. ”I wanted to go out like this, and there is no better place than here to say goodbye.”

Contador just missed joining Froome, Nibali and Ilnur Zakarin on the podium. Froome embraced Contador, one of his top rivals for years, after the stage.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers open a must-win series Friday with their pitcher most likely to win on the mound.

Left-hander Martin Perez (11-10, 4.87 ERA) has been one of the keys to the Rangers’ resurgence in the wild-card playoff picture. Perez has matched a career high by winning his past six starts heading into his outing against the New York Yankees.

The Rangers will need Perez and the rest of the Rangers to be at full strength. The Friday game starts a huge homestretch for Texas that includes series against the Yankees, the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels, all teams that are fighting for the two American League wild-card berths.

Texas manager Jeff Banister has no doubt his team club be ready to get the homestand started on a big note.

“Our guys continue to stay engaged, continue to battle,” said Banister, whose team comes into the series following a Thursday off day after splitting a doubleheader in Atlanta on Wednesday. “It’s a challenge. I feel like our guys are playing well. We’ll get ready for New York on Friday.”

Perez hasn’t backed into any wins during his current hot streak. He has a 3.15 ERA in that span, which has allowed him to drop his overall ERA by more than half a run. He already has set a career high for wins.

Perez will have to buck a limited history against the Yankees to become the first Texas pitcher to win seven straight starts since Kenny Rogers in 2005. Perez has faced the Yankees twice, going 1-1 with a whopping 12.86 ERA. In his last start against New York in 2015, he retired only three batters.

The Yankees counter with right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (11-10, 4.54 ERA). Like Perez, Tanaka is on a roll. He has won three consecutive starts, pitching seven innings in each and allowing a total of five runs. One of his best starts this year came against Texas on June 23, when he struck out nine over eight scoreless innings in a no-decision.

In three career starts against Texas, Tanaka is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

Tanaka will have a lineup behind him that is at full strength. The Yankees are coming off a series win against Baltimore after losing 11 straight series to the Orioles at Camden Yards. New York will have catcher Gary Sanchez back in the lineup, too, as he is returning from a three-game suspension for his part in a brawl at Detroit on Aug. 24.

“We’ve been playing our ballgame,” Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge told Newsday after New York’s 9-1 victory over Baltimore on Thursday. “Just kind of passing the baton, getting those clutch hits with runners on.”

That approach has worked recently as New York has scored 22 runs in its last three games.

Judge hit his 39th home run of the season Thursday, tying him with Oakland’s Khris Davis for the American League lead. It was Judge’s second home run in four games after he went 15 contests without one.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) The African basketball championship may lack star power – even electrical power on occasion. But with national pride at stake, it almost always entertains.

AfroBasket, which tipped off Friday in Senegal and Tunisia, can’t be compared to a glitzy event like the NCAA tournament. Senegal’s aging national stadium in the capital Dakar, for example, has no air conditioning. A recent women’s AfroBasket game in Mali was paused because of a power cut.

International basketball federation FIBA turned to Senegal and Tunisia as emergency co-hosts of this men’s championship just two months ago because Republic of Congo backed out, as did replacement host Angola. The 16-team tournament was pushed back to September, too close to training camps for many Africans who play in the NBA.

Tunisia hosted in August 2015, two months after 38 people were killed in a terrorist attack at a beach resort. As a precaution, games were moved to Rades, outside the capital Tunis.

The tournament still carries on, as it has done since 1962.

”They always end up finding a way, and it always ends up being a great tournament, so we must find a way to improve it, to get more out of it,” said Masai Ujiri, a Nigerian who is president of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. ”I’ve played in that tournament. I’ve coached in it. It’s an unbelievable feeling. There’s a remarkable atmosphere. I wish more people knew about it.”

Arenas are abuzz with drumming, dancing, and flag waving. Boisterous Senegalese supporters packed Marius Ndiaye Stadium on Friday hours before their team took the floor, a floor that was freshly painted just three days earlier.

Even referees seem to feel it. In a March qualifier, a Malian player sank a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer against Senegal, pulled off his jersey and sprinted toward fans as if he had scored a goal at the soccer World Cup. No technical foul.

Wearing national colors is serious business for players, some of whom have grandparents who lived under colonial oppression.

”I take pride in it,” said Senegal’s Maurice Ndour, who played for the New York Knicks last season. ”It will be my first time playing in Senegal in front of the home crowd. It’s huge.”

Senegal, with Minnesota Timberwolves big man Gorgui Dieng on board, will be under pressure to win the title, something it hasn’t done since 1997. Angola is the 11-time African champion and hasn’t missed the final since 1997. Nigeria captured its first title at the last AfroBasket in 2015.

Tunisia won in 2011 but will play without Dallas Mavericks center Salah Mejri, who said that the Mavericks preferred he rest a sore knee. Tunisia hosts the knockout phase after this weekend’s flurry of games in Dakar and Rades. AfroBasket also provides a qualification path to FIBA’s world championship in 2019 and the 2020 Olympics.

Top players sometimes opt out because of scheduling conflicts and, especially, their national federations’ unwillingness to pay for insurance. Other NBA players not coming are Cameroonians Joel Embiid, Luc Mbah a Moute, and Pascal Siakam, as well as Congo’s Bismack Biyombo and Emmanuel Mudiay.

The delayed tournament also makes it hard for Africans in American schools. Angolan Bruno Fernando, identified by FIBA as Bruno ”Fernandes,” has begun his freshman year at the University of Maryland.

Still, NBA and other scouts are expected, so players like 25-year-old Ndour, now a free agent, can help themselves as they help their teams. Carlos Morais of Angola was invited to the Raptors’ training camp after earning MVP honors at the 2013 African championship.

Silvio De Sousa, who has committed to Kansas for 2018, is suiting up for Angola.

Joe Lopez, president of the SEED Academy, said many participants play professionally, ”but you have two or three that will be discovered.” He pointed to SEED student Privat Koyamba, 19, of Central African Republic.

”This will be for him a golden opportunity to showcase his talent,” said Lopez, who was the starting center on Senegal’s victorious team in 1978.

SEED is an international NGO in Senegal that trains promising young players with a goal to build future leaders.

Reggie Moore, born and raised in California and a naturalized Angolan, said AfroBasket play is ”very physical” but he wasn’t worried about the lack of air conditioning.

”It’s not a big deal. We’re used to it,” said Moore, a 6-foot-7 power forward and Oral Roberts University alum.

Despite Africa’s basketball potential, Ujiri warns that mismanagement threatens to stall progress. Uriji said governments must take responsibility for neglected stadiums and subpar sports programs. Leaks in the Dakar stadium’s roof were patched up 48 hours before the tournament. It’s the rainy season here.

”We’re (Africa) moving forward in technology, we’re moving forward in banking, we’re moving forward in real estate,” Uriji said. ”While these things are getting better, sports are being left behind. How is that possible?”

The NBA has seen opportunity in Africa and has an academy outside Dakar to train the continent’s top young players. The NBA has put on exhibition games in South Africa and says a regular-season game is coming to Africa at some point.

Ujiri said it’s also a good sign that Africans – like him – are earning jobs in leadership positions, including coaching and scouting.

”I see that as growth of the game that’s going to help get kids playing at a younger age,” he said.

—

Online: http://www.fiba.basketball/afrobasket/2017

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) — Blake Herrera fidgeted with the crisp, white jersey borrowed from another school before wiping an arm soaked in sweat on football pants that didn’t belong to him.

The senior didn’t care that the No. 22 across his chest wasn’t his and everything he wore was a hodgepodge of items donated from schools wanting to help.

What was important to the bright-eyed 17-year-old was this: His Kingwood High team was back together after flooding from Hurricane Harvey all but destroyed his school and everything in it. And in about 24 hours, he and his teammates would be back under the Friday night lights for a scrimmage that will be among the first of its kind since the storm shut down prep football in the largest city in Texas — a welcome and comforting step forward after scores of games were canceled or postponed in the state that reveres the sport more than any other.

“There was a time when us and our coaching staff thought that we might not play football again,” Herrera said. “But then when we got the help from (other) schools … it really meant a lot to us and really touched our hearts. Because … it was our life basically and it was sad that it got taken away from us.”

While Herrera and the rest of the Kingwood football team returned to practice this week, things are far from normal in an area where thousands of homes were swamped, many beyond repair. The team is practicing nine miles away from the school and Kingwood students will attend classes at still another school beginning on Monday.

“I equated the inside of Kingwood High school to what you see on the Titanic,” said Troy Kite, the athletic director for the Humble school district. “You just can’t describe the ruins that were in there. It’s just impossible. It’s like a movie, and yet that movie is now us.”

Kingwood is one of the schools hardest hit, but thousands of young athletes are trying to figure out their next move — not just where they might play but whether they will play at all. The University Interscholastic League, which oversees public school athletics in Texas, created a “Hurricane Harvey waiver” to allow students displaced by the storm to transfer and immediately be eligible for sports.

“This is really the largest disaster we’ve had to deal with in the state at the UIL level,” deputy director Jamey Harrison said. “We have dealt with other storms from Katrina where as a storm we were taking on a number of people that were displaced from Louisiana and other states and then Hurricanes Rita and Ike that impacted less schools and impacted them in a very different way than this one did.”

State officials recommended that the more than 2,700 students at Kingwood High simply transfer elsewhere while the school is repaired, Kite said. That would have not only have broken up an entire school, it would have meant none of its teams could play this season.

It was a plan district administrators quickly rejected.

“It really has been a community thing and I think that’s the reason that dissolving the school for a year would be absolutely the worst thing,” Kite said. “We’re aware it would have been the easiest thing for adults to do. Yet that would have been the worst thing for the kids and the community.”

Instead, they came up with an unusual plan that has Kingwood’s students attending classes at Summer Creek High. The Summer Creek students will go to school from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day and the Kingwood students will go from about 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It also means that football is back, too, and just in time for teens eager for its familiar routines among the chaos.

Herrera didn’t just lose his school in the flooding. His home is gone, too. He’s bunking with a friend while the rest of his family, including his mother who was rescued on a boat by one of his teammates, is living with relatives outside of town.

“I like staying at my friend’s house, but it gets old after a while,” he said. “I miss my mom. I miss my stepdad. I miss my puppy. I miss a lot.”

The uniforms he and others were wearing at practice this week didn’t match, and many of their helmets bore the name or logo of other schools. Kite was among those who fished equipment out of the fetid waters that engulfed the Kingwood locker room. He hadn’t had much reason to smile as he worked tirelessly to salvage Kingwood’s season.

“As you’re pulling all those wet uniforms out, I can’t begin to describe how nasty it is,” he said. “And you go: `Dear God, what are we doing?’ And … you want to quit and then you’ll see another coach from another school showing up and going in to help us and you get a second wind and you keep going.”

When Kingwood had its first practice since the storm, he gazed out onto the field, taking in the rainbow of colorful jerseys and all the struggles dissipated for a moment.

“We looked like a bag of Skittles,” he said chuckling.

New uniforms were expected to arrive on Friday, but there are no plans to use them during the evening scrimmage that will be held exactly two weeks after Harvey made landfall in Texas. Everyone liked the mixture of colors from all the schools, a tangible representation of how the community came together to help.

“We are going to scrimmage just like this in our borrowed equipment and let our community see what we’ve been talking about,” coach Barry Campbell said.

While Kingwood needed many helping hands to keep its season going, the players who got through the storm safely didn’t hesitate to pitch in to help their neighbors.

Kingwood linebacker Aaron Finch said he and his father borrowed a boat and spent time after the storm rescuing people from flooded homes. He estimates that they picked up 50-60 people.

“It was heartbreaking,” he said. “Me and my dad saved a 5-day-old baby and a mom that had a C-section and it was really sad for them to get in the boat.”

Wanting to see how their school looked, Finch, Herrera and another teammate were on a jet ski when they saw a deer struggling to swim in water up to its neck.

“It wouldn’t have lived if we wouldn’t have helped it,” Finch said, fighting back tears. “He was so tired and so exhausted that he didn’t care what happened … so we did what we could and helped him to safety.”

For now, the thought of being on the field in front of their families, friends and fans was a welcome distraction.

“Friday night lights is an exciting thing in Texas … (and) I think our football team can be a rallying point in the recovery process,” Campbell said. “People have been working for over a week, working their nails to the bone, their fingers to the bone. They’re sore and they still have a lot of work to do. I think our team can allow a little outlet, a little normalcy, a little release, a little fun.”

It’s already given Herrera a small slice of what his life was like before the storm.

“When you come out here it kind of eases my mind,” he said. “It feels really good out here.”

PROVO, Utah (AP) Darren Carrington is new to the Utah-BYU rivalry but the Oregon transfer has picked up the nuances fairly quickly.

The senior receiver remembers the criticism after he signed with Utah following his dismissal from the Ducks program for an arrest on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence.

”They’ve been hating on me and saying some things that I’ve been peeping in the media,” Carrington said. ”More power to them, but yeah, we’re coming. They’ve definitely added more fuel to my fire. This is my team. If (my teammates) hate them, I hate them too.”

Utah (1-0) has won six straight against BYU (1-1) and 15 of the last 18. The rivalry has always featured close ties between programs separated by less than 50 miles, but things have taken on a different feel since Kalani Sitake was hired to lead the Cougars last year.

Sitake played at BYU, but spent 10 seasons coaching at Utah under Kyle Whittingham, including six as defensive coordinator, and the two are close friends. Whittingham and two Utes assistant coaches played at BYU while two BYU assistants, including defensive coordinator Ilaisa Tuiaki, coached at Utah. Utes receivers coach Guy Holliday held the same position at BYU before Sitake brought in his staff.

”If I had to fight my brother at the end of this week, we’d shake hands at the beginning and then we’d get down,” Tuiaki said. ”After that, we’d hug. None of that bothers me.”

The matchup comes at a good time for BYU after being shut out 27-0 by No. 12 LSU last week.

BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum said there wasn’t time to dwell on the loss and Utah always elicits a high level of energy. Nine of the last 11 games between the two programs have been decided by a single score.

”We don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves,” Mangum said.

Most coaches and players tried not to add fuel to the fire this week for a game that already elicits strong emotions.

Utah safety Chase Hansen quickly clarified himself while using a little brother-big brother analogy to avoid any disrespect.

But Sitake and Whittingham acknowledged this is not just another game on the schedule. Bragging rights for a rivalry that began in 1896 remain on the line.

UGLY O: Sitake said there will be changes after the Cougars offense sputtered through the first two weeks. BYU was held to negative-5 yards rushing and 102 passing yards last week and never crossed midfield. BYU’s Mangum has completed 54.9 percent of his passes and the team has just 19 first downs in two games.

CARRINGTON CARRYING: Carrington made his Utah debut last week with 10 catches, 127 yards and a touchdown. The receptions were the most by a Utah receiver in a single game in the last two seasons and the yardage eclipsed any individual single-game output from 2016. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver will be a major factor in Utah’s new spread offense throughout the season. BYU starting cornerbacks Dayan Ghanwoloku and Troy Warner will be tested.

TRENCH WARFARE: The Utah offensive line was not at its best in the Utes’ season-opening win as it continues to gel after replacing four starters. It will be challenged by a BYU defensive line led by Sione Takitaki. The junior defensive end leads the team in sacks (2.0) and tackles for loss (4.0) and is tied for No. 2 with 12 tackles.

GAY FOR 3: Utah senior Matt Gay won the placekicking job in Week 1 after going three for three on field goals. Utah coaches hadn’t decided on a kicker after fall camp and gave freshman Chayden Johnston the first opportunity and he missed from 45 yards out. Gay came in and connected from 49, 33 and 32 yards to earn the starting job.

MIXED BAG: Huntley is making his second career start after totaling 297 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. … BYU starting safety Micah Hannemann will miss the first half after being flagged for targeting last week. … Utah was flagged 11 times for 135 yards in the season opener.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

PARIS (AP) Mario Balotelli scored twice as titleholder Monaco slumped to its first defeat, 4-0 at Riviera rival Nice that gave Paris Saint-Germain an edge in the French league standings on Saturday.

Nice, which came into the game with only three points from four matches, ended Monaco’s run of 16 straight league wins carrying over from last season with a fine tactical display. It was Monaco’s first loss since December.

Balotelli, who also scored a brace in the same fixture last season, opened the scoring from the spot and added another at the hour mark. Alassane Plea and substitute Ignatius Kpene Ganago completed the rout.

Monaco’s loss is turning out well for PSG, which extended its perfect record to five games with a 5-1 win at Metz on Friday, and has a three-point lead over the defending champion.

Monaco can, however, find consolation in the fact that it lost this match 4-0 last season and still won the title.

”It’s catastrophic but we need to move on,” Monaco defender Djibril Sidibe said. ”They were clinical and we were inferior.”

Nice kept a tight and low defensive line to counter Monaco’s attacking moves. Up front, Nice needed only six minutes to move ahead after Balotelli was brought down in the area by Sidibe following a counterattack. Balotelli converted from the spot to bag his first goal this season.

Monaco had most of the possession but was caught on the break 12 minutes later when Allan Saint-Maximin found Plea with a throughball. The French forward ran into the box and shot between two defenders past goalkeeper Danijel Subasic to double the hosts’ lead.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim sent in Guido Carrillo and Rachid Ghezzal after the interval but the changes had no impact.

Monaco’s display was even worse and its defense was caught napping when Arnaud Souquet was left unchallenged down the right flank and delivered a perfect cross for Balotelli at the far post to tap in. Ganago then made the most of a perfect long ball from Pierre Lees-Melou to dribble around Subasic and score into an empty net.

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More AP French soccer coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/Ligue1

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Everything that Kansas coach David Beaty envisioned when he landed junior college transfer Peyton Bender and plucked offensive coordinator Doug Meacham from TCU manifested itself in the first quarter of the Jayhawks’ season-opening rout of Southeast Missouri State.

There was the 77-yard touchdown pass to Steven Sims Jr. that set the tone in the opening minutes, then the short touchdown pass to Chase Harrell that proved the first score was no fluke.

Bender proceeded to throw two more touchdown passes, and finished with 364 yards through the air, in the kind of performance not seen at Kansas since Todd Reesing was running the show.

”Coach Meacham did a great job with the game plan, getting everybody involved. I just went through my reads, and went through my progressions,” said Bender, who won a tight race with Carter Stanley for the starting job in fall camp. ”You know, that’s how the offense is supposed to work.”

It just hasn’t worked that way in quite a while.

The Jayhawks, who hope to duplicate the effort against Central Michigan on Saturday, have struggled the past couple years to fully implement Beaty’s ”Air Raid” offense. But with Meacham barking at guys on the sideline, the Jayhawks finally showed some offensive explosiveness in a 38-16 victory.

”I mean, worth every penny,” Beaty said of his new assistant. ”The guy’s really good. He’s really good. I was talking to some people about that, just watching his poise on game day and how he manages.”

Bender and Meacham could have their work cut out for them this Saturday. The Chippewas picked off six passes – and needed every one of them – in a season-opening, triple-overtime victory over Rhode Island. Justin Cox and Amari Coleman each had two of them.

”All around I thought our defensive played amazing, they did really well with (the offense) not getting into the in end zone as many times as we wanted to,” Central Michigan quarterback Shane Morris said. ”They did a great job. Six picks. Unbelievable. I’ve never been part of a game like that.”

As the Jayhawks and Chippewas meet Saturday, here are some things to watch:

GROUND GAME, PART I

Central Michigan’s Jonathan Ward ran for 147 yards and a touchdown, and Devon Spaulding added 70 yards on 20 carries and the winning score in the final overtime. But the 246 yards on the ground by Central Michigan were offset by four fumbles, three of which were lost.

GROUND GAME, PART II

Kansas only managed 73 yards rushing against the Redhawks, despite trying out five different running backs.

”You know, we’re going to need them all,” Beaty said. ”We’re pretty blessed right now, if we can keep them healthy and keep them upright, that we’ve got some talented guys.”

MULTIPLE PASSERS

Morris, a graduate transfer from Michigan, gave way to Central Michigan freshman Tony Poljan for a couple series. Chippewas coach John Bonamego said that was by design.

”The plan was to use Tony more,” Bonamego said. ”I thought Tony did a decent job when he was in there.”

NOT ANOTHER JOE

After missing most of last season with an injury, Kansas linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. returned to pile up 15 tackles last weekend. That earned him the Big 12’s defensive player of the week award.

”I’m sure it means a lot to him,” fellow linebacker Keith Loneker Jr. said. ”He’s the type of guy that doesn’t think about that type of stuff. He just expects it. That’s what I love about Joe.”

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Kansas allowed 264 yards to Southeast Missouri State last week, or 3.4 per play. That’s the lowest average for a Jayhawks defense since the 2010 opener against North Dakota State.

”I thought our defense was on the field way too much last week. And the good thing is, as we look at it, almost every bit of it was self-imposed,” Beaty said. ”It wasn’t like we were necessarily just overmatched. There wasn’t much we could do. It was pretty much all of us, right?”

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More college football coverage: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ and www.Twitter.com/AP-Top25

NEW YORK (AP) Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens are set to meet in the first all-American final at the U.S. Open since the Williams sisters played each other for the title in 2002.

Neither the 15th-seeded Keys nor the unseeded Stephens had ever participated in a Grand Slam title match before Saturday at Flushing Meadows.

Keys is 22; Stephens is 24.

Both are playing the best tennis of their careers after having surgery.

Keys had an operation on her left wrist during the offseason, missed the first two months of 2017, then needed another procedure on that arm in June.

Stephens was sidelined for 11 months because of a stress fracture in her left foot. She had surgery in January and returned to the tour in July.

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More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

Regan Smith and Jeff Hammond compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of regular season champ Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson as the Cup series readies for the playoffs.

MEXICO CITY (AP) The NFL has apologized for an ”unacceptable” tweet with three smiley emojis that likened the Kansas City Chiefs’ big victory over the New England Patriots to a deadly earthquake that shook Mexico.

The tweet came from the league’s official NFL Mexico account after the Chiefs upset the Super Bowl champions 42-27 in the season opener Thursday night.

The game ended about a half-hour before the earthquake, which killed at least 32 people. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 8.1, hit the southern coast of Mexico. Authorities say it was the strongest in Mexico in a half-century.

The tweet from the (at)nflmx account said in Spanish: ”When Mexico City shakes with an (hash)earthquake because it can’t believe the (at)Chiefs won the (hash)Kickoff2017 game.”

The since-deleted tweet received wide criticism online. The NFL Mexico account later apologized for the ”unacceptable tweet from yesterday, which doesn’t reflect the league’s values. We reiterate our solidarity with Mexico.”

The NFL is one of the most popular sports in Mexico, where the Raiders will play a regular-season game in November for a second consecutive season.

MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany (AP) Kevin-Prince Boateng dedicated his first goal in the Bundesliga since 2014 to a player who suffered brain damage after collapsing in a friendly game.

Boateng, who was playing for Schalke when he last scored in the league before spells at AC Milan and Las Palmas, fired home early to give Eintracht Frankfurt a hard-fought 1-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

The Ghana midfielder celebrated by revealing a shirt with ”Nouri” written on the front, a tribute to Abdelhak Nouri. The Ajax midfielder was diagnosed with severe and permanent brain damage five days after he collapsed in July due to an irregular heartbeat during a friendly against Werder Bremen in Austria.

Payton, who spoke about Dorenbos on a media conference call Friday morning, says Saints physician John Amoss discovered he long-snapper’s aortic aneurysm during a physical examination and “basically saved his life.”

Dorenbos, who was entering his 15th NFL season, was acquired in a trade with Philadelphia before the New Orleans’ final preseason game.

New Orleans is now placing Dorenbos on its non-football injury list and looking to bring in another long snapper before Monday night’s regular season opener at Minnesota.

Dorenbos is the second Saints player this year to be placed on the non-football injury list for a heart condition. The first was veteran defensive tackle Nick Fairley his summer.

A dose of the fun in sports

Last week Baylor lost to Liberty, a fledgling football program in the process of transitioning from FCS to FBS. Not a great start for coach Matt Rhule. It won't get easier this week for the Bears in their pursuit of victory No. 1 under the new regime.

Texas-San Antonio, a team expected to contend in Conference USA under second-year coach Frank Wilson, comes to Waco, Texas.

Other Power Five teams that face tough tests from schools outside the Power Five.

-- Arizona hosts Houston.

-- Arizona State hosts San Diego State.

-- Illinois hosts Western Kentucky.

-- Mississippi State travels to Louisiana Tech.

Jerome MironJerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) Mike McCoy is calling the plays again instead of the shots. His second stint as Denver’s play-caller begins Monday night against the Chargers, the team that fired him as their head coach nine months ago.

McCoy won’t say it, but wide receiver Demaryius Thomas thinks McCoy would like to stick it to his former team.

”Absolutely. If you were the head coach for the Chargers and you got fired, you play them on Monday night, what would you want to do? I’d try to put up 100 if I could ,” Thomas said. ”I know it’s impossible, but I’d try.”

There are other reasons this is a big game for the Broncos : It’s a divisional game in the ultra-competitive AFC West, where teams can ill afford a home loss. Plus, the Chiefs are already riding high thanks to their 42-27 rout at New England in the NFL kickoff.

So, facing familiar faces doesn’t necessarily add to his fire.

”I give all the respect in the world for everyone in the organization. I can’t thank the Spanos family enough for everything and the opportunity they gave me back in 2013 to lead their organization,” said McCoy, who went 27-37 in San Diego with one playoff appearance – a loss to Denver after his first season.

”I have a lot of respect for all of those players,” McCoy said. ”A lot of great people, not just players but the way every coach and every player through some tough times fought their tails off every day. There was no excuse as we just showed up to work every day, but unfortunately we didn’t win enough games. We’re excited here and that’s the thing now. I’ve got a new home and we’re ready to go.”

Vance Joseph’s first move as the Broncos coach was hiring McCoy, whose return to Denver has been celebrated by the offensive players.

”It’s been great,” said Thomas, who thrived under McCoy’s tutelage early in his career, whether he was catching passes from Tim Tebow or Peyton Manning. ”It’s been great for the new guys that came around and learned the offense. You can see the excitement on their faces to get the season started.”

The Broncos are expecting better production offensively after petering out under Rick Dennison and Gary Kubiak last year.

They beefed up their backfield, adding veteran Jamaal Charles and rookie De’Angelo Henderson, and they added venom to their O-line with first-round draft pick Garett Bolles and free agents Allen Barbre, Ronald Leary and Menelik Watson.

The biggest addition, however, might very well be McCoy.

”I think Mike McCoy is a chess master,” said tight end Virgil Green, one of just two players who were on the roster the last time McCoy was calling the plays for the Broncos. ”He knows how to calls plays, set plays up and how to set plays up that he was setting up two weeks ago. He’s a wizard so I think him calling the plays and our coaches wanting us to understand why we’re doing certain things is ultimately going lead to our success.”

Thomas likes the renewed focus on putting defenses on their toes instead of just controlling the clock.

”He’s the same Mike McCoy that I knew three or four years ago,” Thomas said. ”He wants to go out and put as many points as he can on any team. Just go out and blow everybody out. He wants to give his playmakers the ball.”

Notes: NT Zack Kerr (knee) and DE Jared Crick (back) were ruled out for the game and NT Kyle Peko (foot) is questionable.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Today's starting pitchers: LHP Patrick Corbin vs. RHP Jordan Lyles

Streaming live on FOX Sports GO

Each victory at this point extends the D-backs' franchise-record winning streak, which now stands at 13 following a three-game sweep of the Dodgers and a 6-0 road trip to Colorado and Los Angeles. Over the last 11 games, they've trailed their opponent for a grand total of one-half inning.

The D-backs (82-58) are a season-best 24 games over .500 and 7 games clear in the race for the top NL wild-card spot, though they still trail the Dodgers by 10 (down from 21 in late August) in the NL West.

"We're battling, grinding and sticking together, and those are things that make you win those close games and win 13 straight," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.

The Padres (63-78) are coming off a 3-0 victory over St. Louis on Thursday that halted a three-game losing streak. They've lost 9 of 13 meetings with the D-backs this season, but they haven't seen each other since June 8.

NEW YORK (AP) The Latest on the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year (all times local):

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1:30 p.m.

Martina Hingis and Jamie Murray won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship for their second Grand Slam title in two tournaments as a team.

Hingis and Murray beat Michael Venus of New Zealand and Chan Hao-Ching of Taiwan 6-1, 4-6, 10-8 in a match tiebreaker Saturday at Flushing Meadows.

Hingis, already a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and Murray are 10-0 as a duo. They won Wimbledon in July.

This is Hingis’ seventh mixed doubles major trophy and second at the U.S. Open. She will play in the women’s doubles final on Sunday, with Chan’s sister as her partner.

Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens are set to meet in the first all-American final at the U.S. Open since the Williams sisters played each other for the title in 2002.

Neither the 15th-seeded Keys nor the unseeded Stephens had ever participated in a Grand Slam title match before Saturday at Flushing Meadows.

Keys is 22; Stephens is 24.

Both are playing the best tennis of their careers after having surgery.

Keys had an operation on her left wrist during the offseason, missed the first two months of 2017, then needed another procedure on that arm in June.

Stephens was sidelined for 11 months because of a stress fracture in her left foot. She had surgery in January and returned to the tour in July.

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More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) Mike Riley is coming home to Oregon but this is just a business trip.

The former Oregon State Beavers coach is bringing his current team to Autzen Stadium for a high-profile early-season game between Nebraska and the Oregon Ducks.

”This is not about me going back to Oregon. This is about the Nebraska team playing the Ducks, but it is fun for me,” Riley said. ”I’ve spent a lot of time, and had too many hard times in that stadium, so we’re excited to go play and win the game for this 2017 team.”

Riley grew up in Corvallis, some 50 miles north of Eugene, and played quarterback for Corvallis High School. His dad, Bud, was an assistant at Oregon State. Riley himself had two stints as head coach of the Beavers between 1997 and 2014.

He still has a home in the central Oregon town, which he joked that his wife won’t let him sell.

”I do like revisiting that history because I appreciated it so much. All of those times were special. I watched games in that stadium when I was a kid,” he said.

During his time with the Beavers. Riley was 1-6 at Autzen Stadium in Civil War rivalry games. The only win was in 2007 when the Beavers beat the Ducks 38-31 in double overtime.

Nebraska (1-0) is coming off a 43-36 victory over Arkansas State last Saturday. The Huskers went 9-4 last season, their second under Riley.

Oregon (1-0) is playing its first season under coach Willie Taggart, who took over after the Ducks finished 4-8 last season.

The team won the opener in decisive fashion, routing lower-division Southern Utah 77-21. It was Oregon’s most points in a single game since 1916. The Ducks also racked up 703 yards in total offense and set a new Autzen record with nine rushing touchdowns.

Other things to watch when Oregon hosts Nebraska on Saturday:

ANOTHER CONNECTION: Taggart is a former quarterback who started all four years at Western Kentucky. Before that, he played at Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida, where he followed quarterback Tommie Frazier – who went on to lead the Huskers to consecutive national championships and undefeated seasons in 1994 and 1995.

As a sophomore, Taggart was Frazier’s backup.

”If there’s anything that helped me it was learning how competitive he was and then how he didn’t want anyone to beat him, he didn’t want anyone to take his job, he didn’t want any of that,” Taggart said. ”That’s the way you have to be. I think that’s why he was a great player, he took pride in it every single day.”

Taggart made his debut as a head coach with Western Kentucky against Nebraska in 2010, losing 49-10 to the Huskers in Lincoln.

HISTORY: The Huskers won last year’s meeting in Lincoln, 35-32. It was the fifth straight Nebraska victory in the series between the two teams. The game Saturday will be the first time in the past six meetings that neither team is nationally ranked.

Saturday will also mark Nebraska’s first appearance at Autzen and first visit to Oregon since a 28-13 victory over the Ducks in 1952 at what is now Providence Park in Portland.

SMOKY SKIES: There are so many large wildfires burning in Oregon that there was some concern about the air quality for Saturday’s game. The smoky skies made conditions hazardous in Eugene for most of the week, forcing the Ducks to travel to the coast for practice on Tuesday.

But showers that moved over the region late Thursday did the trick, and the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency said air quality was categorized as ”good ” by Friday morning.

ABOUT THE UNIFORMS: The Ducks will be wearing special new uniforms when they host Nebraska. Nike teamed up with OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital for the clean white ”Stomp Out Cancer” uniforms. Three young cancer survivors, Joe MacDonald, Sophia Malinoski and Ethan Frank, served as the design team.

Because Oregon is wearing white, Nebraska will wear its home uniforms in Eugene. The last time the Huskers wore their red jerseys in a true road game was the 1976 opener. They were in their home uniforms for the 6-6 tie at LSU because the Tigers wear white jerseys at home.

QUOTABLE: Taggart was asked how the offense can improve after scoring 77 points in the opener – which put Oregon atop the nation in scoring after the first week. ”They’ve got to score at least 78,” he joked.

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AP Sports Writer Eric Olson in Nebraska contributed to this report.

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More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

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Follow Anne M. Peterson at http://twitter.com/anniempeterson

ALTO DE L’ANGLIRU, Spain (AP) Chris Froome is poised to break his streak of runner-up finishes at the Spanish Vuelta after the Tour de France champion maintained his overall lead on the final competitive stage of the grand tour on Saturday.

Froome increased his advantage over Vincenzo Nibali through the rainy 117.5-kilometer (73-mile) mountainous ride in Stage 20 from Corvera de Asturias to a grueling summit finish at the Alto de l’Angliru.

Under race tradition, the top riders do not challenge each other in the professional final stage.

Dominant at the Tour in recent years, Froome has finished the Vuelta as runner-up on three occasions. He came in behind Juanjo Cobo in 2011, Alberto Contador in 2014, and Nairo Quintana last year.

Barring a mishap or accident on Sunday’s arrival in Madrid, Froome will become only the third rider to complete the Tour-Vuelta double in the same season. Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978) achieved the feat when the Vuelta was still held in the spring before the Tour.

Set to finally claim an elusive Vuelta title, Froome allowed himself a huge smile as he crossed the finish line. The British rider extended his lead of 1 minute, 37 seconds at the start of the day to 2:15 ahead of Nibali, the Italian who won the Vuelta in 2010 and finished second in 2013.

”It’s an absolutely incredible feeling. What a way to end such a massive three weeks of racing, having completed the Tour-Vuelta double,” Froome said. ”Thanks to my team, which has been fantastic.”

Contador, who will retire after the race, won Stage 20 with an attack from distance to put a fine finish to his career that has included seven grand tour wins, including three Vueltas.

Contador left his last adversary with five kilometers left, with Spanish fans cheering him on as he powered his way up the brutal last ascent.

Froome and Sky teammate Wout Poels dropped Nibali on the last section. Poels crossed second right in front of Froome, 17 seconds after Contador.

Nibali’s Bahrain-Merida team set the pace up the second of three climbs on the stage in the northern mountains. The move shed all but the hardiest riders from Froome’s group heading up the category-one Alto del Cordal, only for Nibali to fall on the descent on the wet road and needing help from a teammate to make up the lost time. Marc Soler, who was at that point leading the stage, and David de la Cruz also crashed on the same descent.

After losing several minutes on the race’s second stage, Contador dedicated the rest of his final event to attacking whenever possible. The Madrid-born rider didn’t disappoint with another daring attack to claim his second career win at the demanding Alto de l’Angliru in 3 1/2 hours.

It was a brilliant final page of a great but controversial career. The 34-year-old Contador is second only to the great Miguel Indurain in Spanish cycling lore after winning the Tour twice. But he was also shamed when stripped of a third Tour title for doping.

”There cannot be a more beautiful finish than this, winning at Alto de l’Angliru to put an end to my sporting career,” Contador said. ”I wanted to go out like this, and there is no better place than here to say goodbye.”

Contador just missed joining Froome, Nibali and Ilnur Zakarin on the podium.

”It was such a tough climb. We did everything we could to catch Alberto, but he was too strong,” Froome said after he embraced Contador, one of his top rivals for years. ”Congratulations to him. For him to finish his career like this is beautiful.”

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas starting quarterback Shane Buechele did not throw in practice again Thursday because of a bruised shoulder and coach Tom Herman says his status against San Jose State will be a game-day decision.

Buechele is 5-8 in his career as a starter. He threw for 375 yards and two touchdowns last week in a season-opening loss to Maryland. He finished the game but hasn’t thrown in practice since.

If Buechele can’t play Saturday, freshman Sam Ehlinger will start with wide receiver Jerrod Heard as the emergency option for the Longhorns. Heard is a former quarterback who started much of the 2015 season when Texas finished 5-7.

Buechele set a Texas freshman record last season with nearly 3,000 yards passing and 21 touchdowns.

CLEVELAND (AP) The Cleveland Browns will take the field on Sunday with some area police and firefighters in a pregame show of unity.

As part of a broader effort to connect with their community, Cleveland’s players also will run onto the field before their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers with emergency workers and military personnel. The groups will then stand together for the national anthem.

After some Browns were criticized for kneeling in prayer during the national anthem before a recent exhibition game, several players felt their display was misinterpreted and wanted to do something more to reach out to the community. They first met with owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam and later with Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams and other officers to develop a ”neighborhood plan.”

Team spokesman Peter Jean-Baptiste said that may include players riding along with police on patrol and attending area meetings to help strengthen the relationship between police and citizens.

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) Scott Hend of Australia extended his lead to two strokes when play was suspended during the weather-affected European Masters third round on Saturday.

Leading overnight by one shot, Hend was 2 over par for his 13 holes. Still, his 11 under total was two ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick of England, Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay, and Darren Fichardt of South Africa.

The four leading players were due back on course at 8 a.m. on Sunday to finish the third round.

The clubhouse leaders at 8 under were Marcus Fraser of Australia, Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark and Dean Burmester of South Africa.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One of the biggest season-opening wins in Chiefs history came at the expense of their All-Pro safety.

Eric Berry ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s 42-27 victory over the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, not only ending his season but leaving the Chiefs without one of the most visible and vocal leaders on their defense.

“You’re not going to replace Eric Berry with another Eric Berry. That’s not what happens,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who confirmed the team’s initial fears in a conference call Friday. “But the guys know that Eric would be disappointed if they left off the accelerator at all. I think we’ll be OK there.”

Berry was hurt while covering Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski on a passing route. He hobbled at the end of the play and promptly sat on the turf, where the team’s training staff began examining him. Berry did not appear to be in obvious discomfort, but it took a cart to remove him from the field.

The Chiefs have dealt with a rash of Achilles tendon injuries in recent years, including two sustained by Derrick Johnson. The star linebacker’s latest occurred late last season, but he managed to return to the field by summer workouts and was a full participant in training camp.

Berry also has a history of overcoming serious hurdles in his career.

He missed most of the 2011 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee, only to start 16 games the following season. He also missed the final 10 games of the 2014 regular season while undergoing treatment for lymphoma, only to return to training camp and again play all 16 games the following season.

Berry was coming off arguably his best year in 2016, when he made 77 tackles, picked off four passes and returned two for touchdowns. He almost single-handedly won a game in Atlanta, and was a big reason why the Chiefs went 12-4 and won their first AFC West title since 2010.

His performance while playing under the franchise tag earned him a six-year, $78 million contract this past offseason, making Berry the highest-paid safety in the league.

“I’m on a bit of a low right now,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said. “I love him to death. He’s our fearless leader, and to see him go down in the first game breaks your heart.”

The Chiefs are deep at safety, though. Eric Murray played well after Berry left the game, while Daniel Sorensen — who performs multiple roles in the defense — could also play the position.

The game Thursday night also gives the Chiefs some extra time to assess options before playing their home opener against Philadelphia on Sept. 17. Reid said he expected new general manager Brett Veach to scour the waiver wire and inquire about safeties outside the organization as well.

“Brett’s keeping his eyes open for things right now. That’s what he does,” Reid said. “He’s always on top of that. We’re just kind of seeing the different options there.”

In the meantime, Reid said he expects Berry to continue to have a role on the team.

He broke down the defensive huddle even after leaving the game Thursday night, providing some energy for them when the outcome was still hanging in the balance, and Reid joked that Berry might get a head-start on a potential post-playing career by auditioning as an assistant coach.

“He had an opportunity to talk to the team last night after the game,” Reid said, “and I know he’d be very disappointed if anybody hung their head or let that be an issue. And I thought the guys handled it very well after Eric got hurt. Our guys were able to kind of muster it up and keep the emotional football part of it in focus there.”

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

.@Jimmy_J_Nelson will miss the remainder of the season with a right rotator cuff strain and partial anterior labrum tear.

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 9, 2017

Nelson suffered the injury while diving back to first base on a pickoff play during Friday night’s 2-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. Nelson shut out the Cubs in five innings before exiting the game.

It’s unfortunate news for the Brewers, who are still in the middle of the National League playoff race. With 21 games to play, Milwaukee is three games behind the Rockies for the second wild-card spot and four games behind the Cubs in the NL Central.

Nelson was wrapping up the best regular season of his career. Through 29 starts spanning 175 1/3 innings, the 28-year-old had a 12-6 record, 3.49 ERA, 1.229 WHIP and averaged 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings, all career bests.

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) As much respect as Ross Bowers earned during California’s season-opening win over North Carolina, the redshirt sophomore quarterback gained even more credibility for his willingness to stay in the pocket and absorb a handful of big hits from the Tar Heels defense.

Golden Bears wide receiver Vic Wharton III, who had 156 yards and a touchdown receiving in the game, said Bowers’ toughness sent a signal to the rest of Cal’s players.

”That just shows all the receivers, and really the entire team, that we’ve got a really tough quarterback,” Wharton said. ”He’s not afraid to take some shots and stand in there while someone’s becoming open because he’s going to get hit. We know he’s going to make the throw no matter what.”

Bowers was definitely impressive in his first collegiate start. He completed 24 of 38 passes for 363 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions and led the Bears to a pair of scores in the fourth quarter to fuel the 35-30 comeback win.

Having proven his moxie on the road, Bowers gets his first chance to play in front of California’s fans when the Bears host Weber State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

That Bowers was able to play the entire game against North Carolina was impressive considering the way he was roughed up by the defense. On one play, Bowers suffered a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit while throwing that led to the ejection of Tar Heels defensive lineman Jalen Dalton.

Each time he got hit, Bowers delivered the pass and picked himself up off the turf afterward.

”Ross is that kind of guy,” California coach Justin Wilcox said ”You look at the big series before the half, he got hit on the targeting and took a shot from (Dalton) and then came back the next play and threw the ball to Vic and got hit again.”

As good as Bowers was, Wharton was equally impressed and encouraged by Cal’s ability to come back after trailing early in the game.

”The team camaraderie is a lot different than last year,” Wharton said. ”You can tell on the sideline on Saturday that it’s just completely different with how everyone stays calm. We expected to win the football game and you could tell that through the game.”

Here are a few other things to look for when California hosts Weber State in the first-ever meeting between the two programs:

TRIMMING HALFTIME: Wilcox said the Bears will have to be better organized to adapt to the Pac-12’s pilot program for reducing the length of games. Part of the program includes reducing commercials and cutting halftime from 20 minutes to 15 minutes in certain non-conference games, including Saturday’s at Memorial Stadium. ”We just have to be really efficient getting in the locker room, doing what you need to do, and getting back out,” Wilcox said. ”Just be organized going in and be really efficient with your time once you get in there and talk to the guys.”

SLOWING DOWN THE CATS: Weber State set a school record for scoring in its 76-0 win over NAIA school Montana Western but is facing a Cal defense that showed signs of improving after giving up more than 42 points a game in 2016. The Wildcats scored on their first nine possessions. Conversely, the Bears came out strong against the Tar Heels and forced three punts and a fumble on the first five drives.

SPREADING IT AROUND: The Wildcats had eight rushing touchdowns by seven different players in their season-opening win and expect to challenge the Bears the same way. Sophomore running back Kevin Smith is the main option in the backfield and was the only Weber State player to have more than one rushing TD last week.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter is on the verge of becoming one of the league’s latest star pass rushers, with 18 sacks over his first two seasons . The 6-foot-5, 250-pound product of LSU is a long, fast and strong prototype for his position, with plenty of room left for development.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has been working with Hunter to home in on more consistent placement of his hands on his opponents, to keep his height from working against him. Leg muscles produce more power, for one. Standing straight up also makes a player easier to block.

“There are times when he wants to raise up and start to peek to see what the play is going to be, instead of coming off low and defeating his man,” Zimmer said. “It happens a lot with tall guys.”

“When he first came in here, he was kind of a raw talent,” Robison said. “It was one of those deals where you knew he had a lot of potential, it was just going to be how quick he could grasp the game, but he is a smart kid. He takes notes every day. He goes in there, and you can definitely tell he is applying it on the field. He is understanding situations, understanding different formations that the offense is throwing at him, and he’s being able to recognize those things faster.”

Will crop of young arms keep Braves from adding a veteran pitcher for ’18 and beyond? Chip Caray and Cory McCartney discuss, plus the reality check of Atlanta hosting back-to-back teams in the Rangers and Marlins that are affected by tropical storms.

Columbus Crew SC has had extra time to figure out the stingiest defense in Major League Soccer but even extra preparation might not help solve Sporting Kansas City when the team plays Sunday in Ohio’s capital city.

“I don’t envision a game where we’re going to score five goals but we want to give them some problems,” Crew coach Gregg Berhalter said.

The Crew, fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 13-12-3 record, have not played since a 2-1 victory against FC Dallas on Aug. 26. Berhalter gave his players some time off during the international break but the focus still has been on SKC, who is on pace for the second-lowest goals against average in league history (0.77).

Kansas City (10-6-10) has allowed just 20 goals and goalkeeper Tim Melia has 10 shutouts.

“It comes down to a lot of experience, a lot of chemistry,” Crew captain Wil Trapp said of SKC. “It’s going to be a good task for us but our attack has been pretty potent lately. We’re clicking on all cylinders and are finding multiple options to score.”

Columbus has scored eight goals during its 3-0-1 streak but may be without leading scorer Ola Kamara (14 goals) because of a lower leg injury.

Sporting Kansas City sits third in the Western Conference, two points behind leader Seattle Sounders FC, because of a weak offense.

Only three teams in non-playoff positions — D.C. United, Colorado and Orlando City — have scored fewer goals than SKC’s 31. Gerso Fernandes leads Kansas City with seven goals.

Columbus has scored and allowed 42 goals.

Sporting Kansas lost 1-0 at New York City on Wednesday in its first match since Aug. 19 because of the international break and the postponement of the Aug. 26 match at Houston due to Hurricane Harvey.

SKC looked sluggish in the defeat but Roger Espinoza, a former standout midfielder at Ohio State, expects his team to have a better performance at Mapfre Stadium.

“I think we’re going to recover from this,” Espinoza said. “We know our identity. Sometimes we have tough games like this and we have to recover right away and do it all over again on Sunday.”

Columbus will have Justin Meram (Iraq) and Ghanaians Jonathan Mensah and Harrison Afful back from international call-ups while returning for SKC will be Soony Saad (Lebanon), James Musa (New Zealand) and Americans Graham Zusi and Matt Besler.

Does anyone remember when 300 career home runs was a big deal?

Ryan Braun sits one away from that career milestone, which doesn’t mean as much as is used to. However, it still will put Braun in some elite company.

With his next home run — yes, No. 300 — Braun will become just the sixth player in major-league history to have 300+ homers and 180+ stolen bases through his first 11 MLB seasons. Besides his 299 homers, Braun has stolen 190 bases (and we’re really rooting for at least two more this season).

The others:

— Willie Mays (1951-62): 368 HR, 240 SB

— Reggie Jackson (1967-77): 313 HR, 188 SB

— Barry Bonds (1986-96): 334 HR, 380 SB

— Sammy Sosa (1989-99): 336 HR, 224 SB

— Alex Rodriguez (1994-2004): 381 HR, 205 SB

Braun seemingly has a good chance to join that exclusive club this weekend.

He’s hit three home runs against the Chicago Cubs this season, including two in four games at Wrigley Field. In his career, Braun has 32 homers vs. Chicago with 14 coming at Wrigley (both are the second most, behind Cincinnati and Great American Ball Park).

Braun has two career homers off John Lackey, the Cubs’ Friday starter — one this year and one last, and both at Wrigley. Saturday, the Brewers face Mike Montgomery — yup, Braun took him deep this year at Wrigley, too. He hasn’t hit one off Sunday’s starter Kyle Hendricks, but maybe he’ll already be at 300 by then — and, of course, just because it hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it can’t.

Other notes:

— The last seven games Jimmy Nelson has started have all been decided by one run. That’s the longest streak for any pitcher since Arizona’s Wade Miley had seven in a row from May 27-July 1, 2014. The last pitcher to have eight consecutive starts decided by one run was San Diego’s Tim Worrell (Aug. 4-Sept. 15, 1993).

Statistics courtesy STATS and baseball-reference

BERLIN (AP) Hoffenheim stunned Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, the second consecutive win at home over the defending champion overseen by coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Counterpart Carlo Ancelotti was left pondering how his side lost after 23 efforts at goal.

Meanwhile, 10-man Freiburg halted Borussia Dortmund’s promising start in a 0-0 draw, and Kevin-Prince Boateng earned Eintracht Frankfurt a hard-fought 1-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach but couldn’t finish the game due to injury

Bayern dominated the opening half hour but the visitors were caught out by Hoffenheim on a lapse from Mats Hummels.

The ball was already out of play when Hummels belted it high back into Hoffenheim’s half. The Bayern defender turned his back and was jogging back toward his goal when Andrej Kramaric took the throw-in quickly with another ball for Mark Uth to blast inside Manuel Neuer’s near post.

Bayern again looked more like scoring after the break when Uth scored his second. Nadiem Amiri Amiri combined with Steven Zuber, who pulled the ball back for the Hoffenheim forward to fire inside the left post.

Ancelotti responded by sending on Arjen Robben. Franck Ribery and James Rodriguez followed with just over 10 minutes remaining.

But Robert Lewandowski, who went closest, couldn’t beat Hoffenheim `keeper Oliver Baumann.

DORTMUND KNOCKED OVER

Dortmund defenders Marc Bartra and Marcel Schmelzer went off in the first half and are doubtful for the Champions League opener at Tottenham on Wednesday.

Bartra and Schmelzer were victims of a home side which pulled no punches.

French midfielder Yoric Ravet was sent off on his Bundesliga debut for a cynical challenge on Schmelzer after referee Benjamin Cortus consulted with his video assistant. Cortus at first showed a yellow card but TV replays showed Ravet stamped on Schmelzer’s right ankle. Freiburg coach Christian Streich applauded sarcastically, but Schmelzer was unable to continue. He was replaced by new signing Dan-Axel Zagadou.

Down to 10 men, the hosts sat back, stayed compact, and defended with every man they had.

Dortmund is yet to concede a goal after three games but dropped points for the first time.

”I’m disappointed,” Dortmund coach Peter Bosz said. ”When you play for an hour with an extra man you have to win.”

BOATENG IS BACK

Boateng fired home from close range in the 13th minute for his first Bundesliga goal since his return to Frankfurt after spells at AC Milan and Las Palmas.

He celebrated with a tribute to Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered severe brain damage after collapsing during a friendly match against Werder Bremen in July.

Boateng lifted his jersey to reveal a shirt with ”Nouri” written on it: ”I don’t know him but the story really moved me.”

The midfielder had to go off early in the second half. He received treatment toward the end of the first after receiving a blow from Jannik Vestergaard’s elbow.

The NCAA is signing off on a request for aid for Hurricane Harvey victims that began with a tweet from Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson.

Sampson sent a tweet Aug. 28 asking high school, college and pro coaches to send 20 school or team T-shirts and 10 pairs of shoes for the storm victims. Sampson’s team plays in the American Athletic Conference, and on Thursday the NCAA gave its OK to the league, allowing the school to send donations.

The university says it has more than 1,300 commitments via Twitter, including more than 330 from Division I sports programs, and donations from all but one state.

Sampson has been overwhelmed by the response. The school says the tweet has been viewed more than 2.5 million times. He is also urging donations to the Red Cross (redcross.org.donate/donation ) and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund (ghcf.org ).

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Arizona State has taken steps to upgrade its defense after spending the past two seasons watching opponents reel in one big play after another.

It’s still a work in progress and a big test comes this weekend.

A week after giving up 549 yards to New Mexico State, the Sun Devils face run-heavy San Diego State and its terrific tailback, Rashaad Penny.

”It’s just old school, kind of a blend between what Stanford and what Boise has done in the past,” Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. ”They are going to ground and pound, run play action passes and have had great tailbacks.”

Arizona State (1-0) had the FBS’ worst passing defense each of the past two seasons and hoped for an improvement this season despite playing new cornerbacks. The cornerbacks, Kobe Williams and Joe Bryant, each had key interceptions in last week’s 37-31 season-opening win over New Mexico State, but the Sun Devils again gave up big plays.

New Mexico State rolled up 549 yards of total offense against Arizona State, including 398 yards passing by Tyler Rogers and 151 yards on 30 carries as a team.

The Sun Devils played their starters the entire first half and well into the second, but were well in control of the game heading into the fourth quarter. The Aggies managed to cut into Arizona State’s lead with a string of chunk plays in the final quarter, though, including a 50-yard touchdown run by Jason Huntley.

The stakes will be raised on Saturday.

San Diego State was seventh nationally in rushing offense last season and Penny ran for over 1,000 yards as a backup to Donnel Pumphrey. Penny ran for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 38-17 win over UC Davis last week, helping the Aztecs churn up 276 yards on the ground.

In other words, the Sun Devils could have their hands full.

A few more things to look for when Arizona State hosts San Diego State on Saturday night:

PLAYING THE PAC-12: San Diego State coach Rocky Long likes the challenge of playing against teams from the Pac-12 conference, even if the Aggies have not had much success doing it. San Diego State is 2-16 against the Pac-12 since 2000, but both wins came under Long, including a wild, 45-40 win over California last season. The Aztecs host Stanford next week before opening Mountain West Conference play against Air Force. ”Putting (Pac-12 teams) on our schedule is a big deal to us because it’s an opportunity game,” Long told reporters this week. ”That was my suggestion because I think in the long run, as college football develops, you better prove that you can compete.”

WILKINS’ RETURN: Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins had a strong return from an injury-plagued 2016 season. The junior threw for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while extending plays with his legs. Wilkins also avoided taking hard hits, an issue that led to some of the injuries last season, but he also held the ball too long at times. Arizona State had issues protecting him as well.

AZTECS AND TURNOVERS: San Diego State has had a knack for forcing turnovers under Long, ranking second nationally in 2015 and fifth last season. The Aztecs, who run a 3-3-5 defense, had two interceptions and recovered a fumble against UC Davis. Graham preaches ball protection as a top priority every week and it will be particularly important Saturday.

RUNNING DEVILS: Arizona State was expected to have one of the Pac-12’s best 1-2 running back punches this season, but only had one at its disposal against New Mexico State. Senior Demario Richard was limited to one carry against New Mexico State, spending the rest of the game on or near the training table with a right leg injury. He returned to practice this week, so could return for Saturday’s game. Kalen Ballage managed pretty well without his running mate, scoring two touchdowns while rushing for 79 yards.

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More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

LOS ANGELES (AP) All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald has reported to the Los Angeles Rams, ending a holdout that began in May.

The Rams confirmed Saturday they did not agree on a new contract with Donald.

Donald passed his physical but will not play in the season opener against Indianapolis on Sunday. He will not lose a game check.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection held out for four months, demanding a new contract after three standout NFL seasons. He is to make $1.8 million this year and $6.9 million in 2018 under the terms of his rookie deal.

Tanzel Smart, a rookie sixth-round pick out of Tulane, is expected to start in Donald’s place Sunday.

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More AP NFL: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

The NHL season is around the corner, but you can whet your appetite by watching the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues square off at the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich.

Those who get FOX Sports North can watch the game on FOX Sports GO.

Click here to watch.

Other games for the Wild, which will also be on FSGO, are Saturday at 6:30 p.m. against the Blue Jackets and Monday vs. the Stars at 2:30 p.m. There is also a game Tuesday, the time and opponent determined by the standings after three games.

Diana Taurasi has had so many proud basketball moments in the state of Connecticut.

Sunday, the former UConn star has a chance to add another one.

Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, takes a 10-0 record in deciding league playoff games into the Mohegan Sun Arena when she and her Phoenix Mercury teammates visit the Connecticut Sun in the second round of the playoffs.

The fifth-seeded Mercury advanced with 79-69 victory over former UConn star Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm while the fourth-seeded Sun had a bye.

The winner of this game advances to a 3-of-5 semifinal against either the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx or the No. 2 Los Angeles Sparks.

The teams played three times in the regular season — the Sun winning both games in Uncasville, Conn. while the Mercury romped in the Sept. 1 game in Phoenix behind 31 points and eight rebounds from league scoring leader Brittney Griner.

She will be matched up in this game against Jonquel Jones, the league rebounding leader who was voted most improved player in the league.

“It’s a very tough matchup,” said Connecticut coach Curt Miller, the league’s coach of the year. “Phoenix made a concerted effort late in the year to play through Griner. She’s a unique player that no one in the league sees, so you have to plan for Brittney Griner.

“You have to have a contingent plan, and a contingent upon contingent plan when she starts to hurt you. When you have two of the most elite players the game has ever seen in Taurasi and Griner, it poses a lot of problems, but they’re not the only players that can hurt you.”

Jones broke the WNBA rebounding record — previously held by Tina Charles, then of the Sun, in 2010, finishing with 403 — and she tied the league record of 20 double-doubles.

“Jonquel Jones is going to be a problem in this league for a long time,” Taurasi said at this year’s All-Star Game. “With her stature and the way she can handle the ball, shoot the ball, and work so easy on the court, I just think she’s got a really bright future.”

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Sun, especially after losing star Chiney Ogwumike for the season before the year even started. But after a 1-5 start, Miller’s team got hot — especially at home, where it is 12-5.

The Mercury, 3-0 in single elimination games, finished the season 9-8 both home and on the road before winning their home playoff game.

The three-time WNBA champions (most recently in 2014) have a distinct experience edge in this game. While the Sun players have totaled 875 minutes and 302 points, Taurasi, a three-time champion, has 1,566 minutes and 1,009 points. She cleared the 1,000-point mark with her first basket of the second half of the first-round game.

Now the coach at Charlotte, Lambert was born in the small town of Hoxie and starred as a defensive back for the Wildcats in the mid-1980s. It was a period under coaches Jim Dickey and Stan Parrish during which the program won so few games, there were thoughts about its expulsion from the Big Eight.

“They’ve really done a nice job there of building their football program,” said Lambert, whose 49ers visit the No. 19 Wildcats on Saturday. “What coach Bill Snyder has done there is well-documented.”

Snyder was hired to turn around the program a couple of years after Lambert graduated, and he was successful beyond anybody’s expectations. Kansas State became a perennial powerhouse over the next decade and a second revitalization has the Wildcats ranked firmly in the Top 20.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been back there for a game,” said Lambert, whose father plans to be in attendance. “The place is completely different. They’ve added a lot to the stadium, built a new building in the end zone. It’s going to be emotional. I’m looking forward to it. But it’s really about these guys on the field and what we have to do to win the game.”

In two words: everything right.

The 49ers lost to Eastern Michigan in their opener last weekend, while the Wildcats romped to a 55-19 victory over Central Arkansas in which a team known for the run showed off a high-powered aerial assault.

Jesse Ertz threw for 333 yards and tied a school record with four touchdown passes, three of those of at least 50 yards. His quarterback rating of 319.8 made him the most efficient nationally.

“He certainly had help,” Snyder said, “but I thought he managed the game well. When he had to run the ball, he ran the ball fine. I thought he threw the ball with very fine accuracy most of the time.”

Not everything was perfect, of course. The Wildcats struggled to run the ball behind Ertz and Alex Barnes, and they likewise had all kinds of trouble stopping the Bears’ option offense.

That just happens to be the kind of offense Charlotte brings to town.

“They are very similar to Central Arkansas. They have a talented and athletic quarterback,” Kansas State defensive back Brogan Barry said. “That is going to be our key to holding them. It’s very similar, but they definitely have a lot of talent, especially at quarterback.”

Here are some other things to watch for when the 49ers and Wildcats meet Saturday:

MORE HOME COOKING: Charlotte defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt also went to Kansas State and spent time coaching linebackers under Ron Prince, who took over when Snyder briefly retired. Wallerstedt got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Kansas State in 1988.

DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS: Kansas State allowed 16 points in the first half to Central Arkansas, but just a field goal after the break.

“They gave us a little different look than we thought we were going to get. The coaches made some adjustments,” Wildcats linebacker Elijah Sullivan said. “We had to get lined up real quick and just go out and play football. That’s what it was.”

THAT QB CAN RUN: Ertz ran for more than 1,000 yards for Kansas State last season, while 49ers QB Hasaan Klugh topped 100 yards rushing last week. It was his 51-yard scamper that set up a touchdown pass for Charlotte’s only points in a 24-7 defeat.

“The key to their offense is the quarterback. He is very talented,” Snyder said. “They have option football, which was a nemesis for us last week. We have got to work that out, and that is just becoming more responsible.”

SPREAD THE WEALTH: Kansas State had seven different players reach the end zone last week, including four different wide receivers.

“It’s a lot of fun, especially seeing how your hard work pays off,” said Dalton Schoen, who had a 70-yard TD catch. “It’s a blast playing out there.”

TUNE IT UP: The Wildcats might view the 49ers as a final tuneup before the season really begins with a trip to Vanderbilt. After that SEC test comes the start of the nine-game Big 12 schedule.

TURIN, Italy (AP) Juventus rested top players ahead of the Champions League and still eased to a 3-0 victory over Chievo Verona to maintain its perfect start to the Serie A on Saturday.

Second-half goals from Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain sealed the win after an own goal by Chievo midfielder Perparim Hetemaj.

Juventus visits Barcelona in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was handed his debut as Gianluigi Buffon was rested.

Dybala also started on the bench, as did Andrea Barzagli and Juan Cuadrado. Giorgio Chiellini, Sami Khedira, Claudio Marchisio and Alex Sandro were out injured.

Juventus took the lead in the 17th minute when Hetemaj headed Miralem Pjanic’s free kick past his own goalkeeper.

Szczesny did well to parry an Ivan Radovanovic effort but Higuain doubled Juve’s lead shortly before the hour, firing Pjanic’s through ball into the top left corner.

That move had been started by Dybala, who came on four minutes earlier, and the Argentina international had chances of his own before getting on the scoresheet seven minutes from time, wending his way through the penalty area before placing the ball into the bottom right corner.

It was Dybala’s seventh goal in four matches for Juventus, including the Super Cup defeat to Lazio.

Roma’s match at Sampdoria was postponed because of bad weather.

Rangers Insider preview: What high school football means to Texas

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders have never met under these circumstances.

When the teams play Sunday night, Sigi Schmid will be coaching from in front of the visitors’ bench at CenturyLink Field for the first time.

Schmid, who guided the Sounders for their first seven-plus years in Major League Soccer before being fired midway through last season, returns to Seattle for the first time as the Galaxy coach.

“As long as I don’t walk into the wrong locker room, I’ll be OK,” Schmid joked after practice the other day. “I was gonna walk into that locker room as a joke, but I don’t know if that will go over.”

Schmid and the Galaxy (7-14-5) snapped a 10-match winless streak (0-9-1) with a 3-0 victory Sept. 2 against Colorado. Los Angeles is in ninth place in the Western Conference and entered the weekend 11 points out of a playoff spot.

The Sounders (11-7-9), meanwhile, are unbeaten in a franchise-record 11 consecutive matches (6-0-5) and first in the West entering weekend play.

But the Sounders cautioned about reading too much into the records.

“The Galaxy are the Galaxy,” Sounders captain Osvaldo Alonso told reporters in preparation for the match. “Every time we play them, it doesn’t matter if they’re first, second or last in the table, they’re going to come here to play good soccer. They have a good team and good players. We have to prepare for battle Sunday night. … Everybody is prepared to keep rolling.”

The teams played to a scoreless tie in their last meeting, July 29 in Los Angeles, which was the return of Schmid as the Galaxy coach. He also coached in Los Angeles from 1999-2004, leading the Galaxy to the MLS Cup title in 2002.

The Sounders are coming off consecutive 1-1 ties against rivals Vancouver and Portland before the FIFA international break.

“If you get on top of the Galaxy, I think they might have a difficult time coming back,” said Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer, who took over for Schmid last season and led Seattle to its first MLS Cup title. “But if you let them hang around, just like we let Vancouver hang around and Portland hang around, then we’ll make it tough on ourselves.

“It’s a big game for a lot of reasons. It’s always one to mark on the calendar.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs surprised just about everyone with their season-opening win in New England, especially the reigning Super Bowl champs, who had their festive night celebrating another Lombardi Trophy spoiled by Alex Smith and Co.

Most surprising, though, was how the Chiefs sprung the upset.

The defending AFC West champions were expected to keep games close this season with their ferocious defense, led by pass rusher Justin Houston and Dee Ford. But it was an offense with Smith under center and youngsters such as Tyreek Hill and rooking running back Kareem Hunt that managed to outduel Tom Brady and his star-studded supporting cast in a 42-27 victory in Foxborough.

“You want to be multidimensional, right?” said Smith, who threw for 368 yards and four touchdowns in arguably his best game with the Chiefs. “You want to be able to spread the ball vertically. You want to be able to run, pass and spread it out horizontally as well. You want to be able to be good at all these different things. Inside the tackles, outside the tackles, all those things.

“You want to be well-rounded,” he said. “I think that makes you tough to defend.”

The Chiefs were certainly well-rounded. And they were a nightmare to defend.

Smith became just the second quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the nearly two decades that Bill Belichick has been the Patriots’ coach. And it was the first 300-yard passing game by Smith in nearly two years.

Hunt, just the sixth running back to start an opener in franchise history, ran for 148 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 98 yards and two more scores. The third-round pick’s 246 yards from scrimmage were the most by a player in his first game in NFL history.

Hill had seven catches for 133 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown catch, in his first game as the Chiefs’ No. 1 wide receiver. His TD catch gave him five consecutive regular-season games with a play of 60 or more yards, the first player in NFL history to accomplish that feat.

Put that offensive trio together and it’s the first time since 2009 that the Chiefs have had a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver in the same game.

“It was a huge game for us. We wanted to start off on the right foot,” Hunt said. “The whole team played great, especially the offensive line. Those guys were making holes all night. I was able to find creases and run hard behind those guys, especially after I started slow.”

For all the positives, it was still an imperfect performance.

Hunt fumbled on the Chiefs’ first offensive play, something he did only once during his entire college career at Toledo. They had an unsightly 15 penalties for 139 yards. And their defense failed to force a turnover of its own, though it did make a couple of key stops on fourth down.

The biggest downside, though, was the torn Achilles tendon safety Eric Berry sustained in the fourth quarter. Berry was playing his first game since signing a six-year, $78 million deal, and had been having a standout game not only stopping the run, but also holding Rob Gronkowski in check.

“He will be out,” Reid confirmed Friday. “Eric won’t be playing.”

At least the Chiefs have some time to consider their options. Their victory Thursday night means they have a few extra days to get ready for their home opener against Philadelphia on Sept. 17.

And while the Chiefs intend to spend time enjoying a tone-setting win over the Patriots, Smith made it clear that attention will swing swiftly to the next game on the schedule.

“Just because you do it one night doesn’t mean it will just carry over,” he said. “You have to find a way to beat the next opponent and the unique challenge they present.”

CLINTON, S.C. (AP) Jordan Black completed all three of his passes for touchdowns and ran for 103 yards to lead The Citadel to a 48-7 win over Presbyterian on Saturday.

The game was moved from The Citadel campus in Charleston to Clinton, where Presbyterian is located, because of Hurricane Irma. Last year the Bulldogs also had a home game moved due to Hurricane Matthew

Black connected with Raleigh Webb for 57 yards, Rod Johnson 18 and Brandon Rainey for 14. Starting quarterback Dominique Allen ran for 57 yards and a career-high three touchdowns and completed his only pass for 15 yards.

The Bulldogs (2-0) piled up 539 yards, 435 on the ground, helping the Bulldogs control the ball for 40 minutes.

After punting on its first possession, The Citadel scored on seven possessions and ran out the clock on its final possession.

Allen opened the scoring with a 1-yard plunge but on the next snap Torrance Marable went 76 yards for the Blue Hose (0-2), who have lost 13-straight to The Citadel. Other than that score, Presbyterian had 153 yards of total offense and two turnovers.

HOUSTON (AP) — J.J. Watt was ready to discuss his preparations for the Houston Texans’ opener — and his return from a back injury that sidelined him for most of last season.

But first he took a few moments to receive yet another donation — the biggest one yet — to a fundraising effort he set up in the days after Hurricane Harvey.

Watt accepted the check for $5 million from HEB Grocery Company, giving him more than $28 million in donations. Then he discussed how he’s handled getting back to football with the city just beginning to recover from the storm.

“It’s obviously a balance … I’ve had a foundation my whole career,” Watt said. “I’ve been doing things like this my whole career, obviously not on this scale, but when I’m in meetings, when I’m at practice, when I’m in the weight room, that’s where 100 percent of my focus is.”

Watt leaves his cellphone on airplane mode when he’s at the facility so he can handle football duties without interruption. He joked about being so busy getting ready for the game that he hadn’t yet reached out to Jimmy Fallon to thank him for the $1 million he donated to Watt’s fund on Tuesday night.

“I appreciate him and sorry, Jimmy, you can look out for an email from me here as soon as practice is over,” Watt said.

Sunday’s game against Jacksonville will be Watt’s first since Sept. 22 after his second back surgery forced him to miss the final 13 games of last season. And while his attention is on making sure he’s ready for that game, he certainly knows what Sunday’s game could mean to the city.

“This is so much bigger than a game, but for three hours on Sunday, we want to take people’s minds off of everything that just happened,” he said. “We want to give them an escape from everything that just happened, so I know for a fact that our guys are going to give every single thing that we have to make sure that we put a smile on this city’s face and give them something to cheer about for three hours.”

The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year can’t wait to get back on the field after missing the first games of his six-year career last season. The Texans believe he’ll return to form in no time.

“He’s had an excellent preseason. He’s fully healthy,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “I think I’ve said this now a 1,000 times. It’s hard to describe what it’s like to block him, so it’s been very difficult. I would expect him to go out there, be his usual self (and) play very well.”

ATLANTA (AP) We’ve been through this before.

Everyone swinging for the fences.

Balls flying out of the park.

Fans presumably gushing over the tape-measure spectacle (because, you know, chicks did the long ball).

Sorry, we’ll take a pass on this bandwagon.

As baseball heads toward a record-obliterating season for home runs – yes, a power display that eclipses even the height of the steroid era – one can’t help but wonder if it’s all on the up and up.

Granted, baseball now has a serious drug-testing plan, something that didn’t exist at all during the heyday of Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, but no one can ever know with certainty that it’s weeded out all the chemically enhanced sluggers.

Doping is a battle that’s never really won. The best one can hope for is maintaining a slight edge over the would-be cheaters.

”You don’t want people to be skeptical,” said Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly, who has the game’s top slugger at the moment, Giancarlo Stanton . ”I think what fans really want to know – they love greatness, they love seeing the ball go out of the ballpark, you love seeing athletes in all sports do great and do great things – but I think as a fan, and I include myself in that, you want to know it’s coming through hard work and dedication and talent. Not any other help.”

Beyond that, the emphasis on hitting the ball out of the park – by everyone from mammoth outfielders to light-hitting shortstops – raises another issue that is troubling to the long-term health of the national pastime.

A game that should be filled with nuance and infinite possibilities has become something akin to slow-pitch softball, the lineups filled from top to bottom with beefy guys who do nothing more than swing from their heels on every pitch.

If everyone is hitting the long ball, it’s it really all that exciting?

Take the Texas Rangers , who heading into Friday were leading the majors with 218 homers and, in an interesting twist, stopped by Atlanta this week for a series against Braves.

This, of course, is the home of Hank Aaron, whose statue adorns a place of honor in new SunTrust Park and remains the true home run king in our books. So perhaps it wouldn’t have seemed out of place to say the Rangers are faithfully carrying on the Hammer’s power-hitting legacy.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Rangers’ lineup features Joey Gallo, who leads the team with 37 homers but is hitting barely above the Mendoza Line (.211) with a whopping 162 strikeouts. He’s hardly alone. Texas also has Mike Napoli (.196, 29 homers, 155 strikeouts) and Rougned Odor (.213, 28 homers, 137 strikeouts), who are following much the same blueprint every time they step to the plate.

Knock it out of the park or go down swinging as hard as you can.

Compare that with Aaron, who in addition to 755 homers finished with a career average of .305 and never struck out as many as 100 times in any of his 23 seasons.

”Nobody worries about average or striking out. They don’t care about that,” said Hall of Famer Tony Perez, a slugger in his era but someone who hit as many as 30 homers only twice in his career. ”They just want to hit home runs. I guess that pays better.”

The Rangers were followed into Atlanta by Stanton, who is on a home run quest himself. The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder went into Friday’s game with 53 homers and still has a shot at reaching Roger Maris’ non-steroid season record of 61. That mark appeals to Stanton the most, certainly more so than Bonds’ almost-comical 73 homers in 2001 during the steroid era.

”When you grow up watching all the old films of Babe Ruth and (Mickey) Mantle and those guys, 61 has always been that printed number,” Stanton said a few weeks ago.

Yet any admiration for Stanton’s brilliant season is at least partly offset by the reality that all these sluggers are making the game even more unwatchable than it already was, the game slowing to a pace that makes chess seem action-packed by comparison. You’ve got overly cautious pitchers laboring over every throw, knowing they can’t afford any mistakes. You’ve got one-dimensional hitters flailing away at anything close to the plate, willing to whiff most of the time for the chance to occasionally knock one into another ZIP code.

When Atlanta’s Julio Teheran faced the Rangers this week, he had a season-high five walks in five innings.

Without question, the increase in homers borders on alarming. After Thursday’s games, with a little over three weeks left in the regular season, teams had combined to hit 5,329 homers and were on pace to finish with 6,169. That would shatter the record of 5,693 homers set in 2000, when we know plenty of hitters were juicing.

More dramatically, it would be a 47 percent increase over the 4,186 homers that were hit just three seasons ago, when power numbers bottomed out after a steady decline undoubtedly spurred along by tougher and tougher drug-testing rules. By comparison, it took hitters a full decade to pull off a similar increase to reach that tainted 2000 total.

There are plenty of explanations for the stunning increase, from an increased emphasis on hitting fly balls – which certainly has lots of merit – to an unconfirmed belief that the ball is livelier.

”You can just tell it’s harder. You can feel it,” Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson said. ”It’s pretty easy to tell the difference for someone who plays.”

Whatever the case, we all hope this power surge is legit.

Baseball can hardly afford another doping scandal.

And, while we’re at it, let’s have a few less guys swinging for the fences.

You know, singles and doubles can be exciting, too.

—

Paul Newberry is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paul%20newberry

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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed to this report.

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For more AP baseball coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

CHICAGO (AP) Milwaukee Brewers ace Jimmy Nelson will miss the rest of the season after jamming his shoulder while diving to a base a night earlier.

General manager David Stearns said before Saturday’s game with the Chicago Cubs that he does not know if surgery is needed. Nelson has a strained right rotator cuff strain and partial anterior labrum tear.

Nelson left Friday night’s 2-0 victory over the Cubs after the injury. The right-hander threw four-hit ball over five innings, while striking out seven and walking two en route to winning his third straight start. He is 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA, a career high for victories.

Nelson singled off the left-field wall in the fifth inning and was hurt diving back to first after rounding the base. Initially, Nelson and manager Craig Counsell did not think the injury serious.

Nelson said he felt discomfort pitching the bottom of the inning- and his velocity was down – though he got out of a first-and-third jam. Josh Hader came on to start the sixth for Milwaukee.

Milwaukee entered Saturday four games behind first-place Chicago in the NL Central.

Virginia cleared its first hurdle of the season with ease against William & Mary of the FCS in the Cavaliers’ opener. Now the Cavs face the challenge of repeating the performance against a Power Five opponent.

Virginia hosts Indiana on Saturday in a battle of programs hoping to show they are on the rise.

The Hoosiers, in their first full season under coach Tom Allen, led No. 2 Ohio State 21-20 late in the third quarter of their opener before falling 49-21. Richard Lagow threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns, completing 40 of a program-record 65 attempts. He also was intercepted twice and sacked five times for minus 29 yards.

Allen, who became the head coach before Indiana faced Utah in the Foster Farms Bowl last December, said his team’s inability to finish the job against the Buckeyes was “very frustrating and disappointing and not acceptable.” He did say there were positives in the loss as well, which the Hoosiers hope to build on against the Cavaliers.

Virginia is undergoing a culture change of its own in its second season under Bronco Mendenhall, and transfer right tackle Brandon Pertile said beating the Tribe brought relief and hope that the success will blossom.

A year ago, the Cavaliers were manhandled 37-20 by Richmond, also of the FCS, in Mendenhall’s debut.

“I kind of felt like a lot of guys exhaled. A lot of the guys returning were not nervous about the game, but just anxious to get back out there and kind of erase last season’s stigma around us,” said Pertile, who transferred from Oklahoma State as a graduate student after last year. “And I felt like when we got in the locker room, a lot of guys did that after the game and they were exhaling with a good thing to build off of towards Week 2.”

Now, Mendenhall said, they’ll face a team that will serve as more of a measuring stick.

“I watched them play in a bowl game a year ago,” he said of the game, won 26-24 by Utah. “That’s not by accident. It’s a good league, they’re a good team, and I mean our players are smart. Again, we use the phrase, ‘Real recognizes real.’ They only have to watch a series or two of film and they know that it’s a good team.”

Some things to watch when Indiana visits Virginia:

AIR SHOW: Virginia’s Kurt Benkert had a very efficient opener, completing 27 of 39 throws for 262 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also sacked three times. With both quarterbacks such major parts of the offense, the team that can protect the best, or get a complementary ground game going, will have a distinct advantage. The Cavaliers managed just 82 rushing yards against the Tribe, and Indiana just 17 against Ohio State.

DYNAMIC DUO: Simmie Cobbs Jr. (11 catches, 149 yards, touchdown) and Luke Timian (10 for 72 yards) became the third duo in Hoosiers history to record double-digit receptions in the same game. The game marked a return to action for Cobbs after he missed almost all of last season with an injury, and it came after Nick Westbrook, the leading returning receiver from a year ago (54 catches for 995 yards), sustained a season-ending ACL injury on the game’s opening kickoff.

PACE: The Hoosiers ran 95 offensive plays against Ohio State, or 41 more than the Cavaliers faced against William & Mary. Substituting to keep the defense fresh figures to be a challenge for Virginia.

JUST FOR KICKS: Mendenhall blamed the snap-and-hold dynamic for a missed 42-yard field goal try by A.J. Mejia against the Tribe, but placekicking remains an issue for the Cavaliers. They made just five field goals all of last season and went for it on fourth down four times after Mejia’s miss. Indiana’s Griffin Oakes, by contrast, is in his third season as the Hoosiers’ placekicker and has made 53 of 73 career attempts, with a long of 58 yards.

HISTORY: Virginia has won both prior meetings, including a 47-7 rout when the Hoosiers visited in 2009. The Cavaliers prevailed 34-31 two years later at Indiana, and the Hoosiers are 6-14 against ACC schools.

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) Darnell Woolfolk scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in the fourth quarter to lead Army past Buffalo 21-17 on Saturday.

The victory for Army (2-0) avenged an overtime loss to the Bulls a year ago and extended the Black Knights’ winning streak to five dating to last season.

Woolfolk’s game-winner came on fourth down with 4:53 left after Kell Walker was ruled out-of-bounds before reaching past the right pylon on the previous play.

Army forced a fumble by Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson midway through the third quarter with the Bulls (0-2) driving, and that helped turn the tide for the Black Knights as they converted to get back in the game.

Woolfolk’s plunge from inside the 1 narrowed the Buffalo lead to 17-14 on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Ahmad Bradshaw finished with 147 yards rushing on 25 carries and scored once for Army.

Jackson scored on a 75-yard run and hit Antonio Nunn with a 48-yard touchdown pass to lead Buffalo. Jackson was unable to muster another comeback on the Bulls’ final possession. He was sacked for a 14-yard loss on first down and the Bulls punted after three plays. He finished 9 of 16 for 193 yards passing.

Army sealed the victory moments later with a 15-yard run by punter Nick Schrage on a fake punt.

Buffalo coach Lance Leipold won six Division III national titles at Wisconsin-Whitewater and brought a .921 winning percentage as a head coach when he accepted the Buffalo job prior to the 2015 season. The Bulls went 5-7 in his first season but plummeted to 2-10 last year. But one of those victories was a come-from-behind overtime triumph at home against the Black Knights, Jackson’s first career win as the Bulls starter at quarterback.

The Bulls scored two touchdowns in the final nine minutes of the fourth quarter in that one to force overtime as the 6-foot-7, 245-pound Jackson scored twice on the ground. He didn’t wait that long on Saturday, busting the long scoring run early in the second quarter. He picked his way through the line and raced untouched down the right side before stumbling into the end zone to put the Bulls up 10-7.

Jackson followed that by hitting Antonio Nunn for a 48-yard touchdown after Bradshaw misfired on a fourth-down pass to give Buffalo a 17-7 halftime lead.

Jackson hit Anthony Johnson with a perfectly thrown 52-yard pass on the game’s first drive, but the Bulls had to settle for Adam Mitcheson’s 21-yard field goal.

The Black Knights victimized the Bulls on Army’s first possession. Bradshaw, who gained a career-high 177 yards against last week in a win over Fordham, gained 52 yards down the left side on Army’s fourth play from scrimmage and scored from inside the 1 three plays later.

The Bulls returned eight starters on defense and that figured to help a unit that allowed a 100-yard rusher in seven of 12 games last year and ranked 124th out of 128 teams at the FBS level with an average of 253.3 rushing yards allowed per game.

That experience showed in a 17-7 season-opening loss on the road last week to Minnesota. Buffalo allowed 169 yards on 51 carries and the Bulls held their own against Army. Take away Bradshaw’s 52-yard run in the first quarter that set up Army’s lone touchdown, and Buffalo held the triple option to 114 yards on 32 carries in the first half, an average of 3.5 yards a carry. Army finished with 322 yards on the ground a week after gaining 513 against Fordham.

THE TAKEAWAY

Buffalo: Jackson is emerging as a star, and with his size the Bulls can be competitive in the Mid-American Conference.

Army: The Black Knights have the run down pat but need to show some finesse in the passing game. Bradshaw overthrew a wide-open Jermaine Adams inside the 10-yard line on a fourth-and-2 play and also overthrew Kjetil Cline in the end zone. Both came in the second quarter and cost the Black Knights two scores. Bradshaw finished 2 of 8 for 17 yards.

UP NEXT

Buffalo hosts Colgate next Saturday night.

Army travels to play No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday.

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More college football coverage: http://collegefootball.ap.org/ and www.Twitter.com/AP-Top25

D.J. Moore scored three touchdowns – on catches of 9 and 34 yards, along with a 21-yard run – to help the Terrapins (2-0) maintain the momentum created by their season-opening 51-41 win at Texas.

It’s the first time in school history that Maryland has started with two straight 50-point games. The 63 points were the most scored by the Terps since they crushed Missouri 74-13 in 1954.

Hill took over for injured starter Tyrrell Pigrome in the third quarter against Texas and completed his only three passes. He started 8 for 8 in this one and was 13 for 16 for 163 yards before watching the fourth quarter from the sideline.

Two touchdowns by Moore and a 74-yard run by Johnson put Maryland in front 21-0 after nine minutes.

Johnson’s 46-yard touchdown run in the third quarter made it 35-7 and enabled him to become the fourth player in Maryland history to reach the 100-yard mark in four straight games. He finished with 124 yards on only five carries, a whopping 24.8-yard average.

The Terrapins outscored Towson (1-1) 21-0 in the third quarter, the last TD coming on an end-around by Moore in which he broke four tackles on his way to the end zone.

Towson got both its touchdowns on passes by Ryan Stover, a redshirt freshman also making his first college start.

Stover went 21 for 36 for 210 yards and two interceptions, the first of which was taken back 75 yards for a score by Darnell Savage Jr.

THE TAKEAWAY

Towson: Despite the lopsided score, the Tigers took away some positives against a Big Ten foe. They had a nice goal-line stand in the second quarter and moved the ball sufficiently enough behind a freshman quarterback who exuded poise and confidence. At halftime, Towson had more first downs than Maryland (11-9) and trailed in total yardage by only 219-193.

Maryland: The Terrapins are ringing up big numbers offensively, regardless of who is at quarterback. In this one, Hill got some invaluable experience moving forward. Maryland seems to have its offense working at peak efficiency, but the defense must improve if the Terrapins expect to make some noise in the conference this season.

UP NEXT

Towson: The Tigers play the second of three straight road games next Saturday night, facing St. Francis of the Northeast Conference.

Maryland: After a bye week, the Terrapins host Central Florida on Sept. 23, a team they beat in OT last year.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

The internet is a magical place for sports.

On Sept. 12 and 13, the LA Kings will host the Las Vegas Golden Knights for Rookie Games.

And both contests can be seen at LAKings.com.

The Kings’ top pick in the 2017 NHL Draft (11th overall) Gabriel Vilardi will not participate as he deals with a back injury.

Rookie Camp got underway on Friday in El Segundo. Tickets are available for both games, on the day of the game, for $10.

https://t.co/TW56yuagyG to stream Rookie Camp contests next week between Kings and new Vegas Golden Knights. https://t.co/PhyZI77lAK

The bigger Badgers (2-0) wore down the Owls (0-2) despite some middling play in the middle of the game. Wisconsin opened up 14-0 lead behind two first-quarter touchdowns from Taylor, but didn’t have the game in hand until his third score with 1:12 left in the third quarter made it a 17-point game.

This was a trip that Florida Atlantic would remember regardless of the outcome as Lane Kiffin’s first away game as the Owls’ coach.

The threat of Hurricane Irma bearing down on South Florida put the stakes in perspective. The team was staying in Madison at least through Sunday.

They focused on football for at least a few hours on Saturday, putting up a respectable effort on the road against a Big Ten contender.

Taylor was stopped on fourth-and-inches at the 1 on one drive in the second quarter. Hornibrook was intercepted in Wisconsin territory on another series, and five plays later Devin Singletary scored from 1 yard out to make it 21-14 with 4:29 left in the period.

The fans at Camp Randall Stadium were nervous before halftime for a second straight week. In the opener, Wisconsin was tied with Utah State at the half before blowing past the Aggies for a 59-10 win.

Wisconsin started getting more pressure in the second half with three sacks. The Badgers held decisive edges after halftime in total yards (206-50) and first downs (13-2).

It bookended a dominating first quarter by Taylor, who showed a mix of power and speed that could make him the next star running back at Wisconsin.

Taylor ran for scores from 64 and 29 yards in the period, the latter coming after breaking three tackles around left end before jogging into the end zone.

TAKEAWAYS

Florida Atlantic: Kiffin said he would evaluate the quarterback position at midweek, but Parr started for a second straight week and had a respectable outing against a tough defense. The sophomore took advantage of blown coverage in the secondary to connect with DeAndre McNeal for a 63-yard touchdown pass that opened the scoring for the Owls and seemed to ease any nerves about whether they could keep up with the Badgers. Parr finished 9 of 19 for 142 yards.

Wisconsin: An apparent miscommunication in the secondary led to McNeal’s long touchdown catch. Cornerback Nick Nelson, a junior playing his second game with the Badgers had the coverage on McNeal but a safety was late coming up to help. … Hornibrook looked accurate and moved around effectively in the pocket in opening the game 8 of 9 with a touchdown pass before getting picked off in the second quarter deep in Wisconsin territory. He finished 16 of 28.

INJURIES

Wisconsin starting RG Beau Benzschawel left the game in the second quarter with a right leg injury. … RB Bradrick Shaw did not play after being listed as questionable this week with a right leg injury.

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic: Scheduled to host Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 16.

Wisconsin: Visits BYU on Sept. 16.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

PARIS (AP) Despite playing with 10 men for nearly an hour, Lille managed to draw 0-0 with Bordeaux in a French league match Friday with few chances for both teams.

Lille got off a strong start and dominated until Thiago Maia, who had already been booked, was sent off after a reckless challenge on Malcom after 32 minutes, hitting the Bordeaux striker in the head with his leg.

Nicolas de Preville, who joined Bordeaux from Lille in the closing hours of the transfer market, went close with a diving header in the 41st minute. Younousse Sankhare had the match’s best chance with 20 minutes left.

Sankhare, another former Lille player, played a one-two with Cafu that unsettled the hosts’ defense but the midfielder missed his effort from close range.

Unbeaten in its last 12 league matches, Bordeaux moved to third place with nine points from five matches, with Lille four points behind.

The bigger Badgers (2-0) wore down the Owls (0-2) despite some middling play in the middle of the game. Wisconsin opened up 14-0 lead behind two first-quarter touchdowns from Taylor, but didn’t have the game in hand until his third score with 1:12 left in the third quarter made it a 17-point game.

This was a trip that Florida Atlantic would remember regardless of the outcome as Lane Kiffin’s first away game as the Owls’ coach.

The threat of Hurricane Irma bearing down on South Florida put the stakes in perspective. The team was staying in Madison at least through Sunday.

They focused on football for at least a few hours on Saturday, putting up a respectable effort on the road against a Big Ten contender.

Taylor was stopped on fourth-and-inches at the 1 on one drive in the second quarter. Hornibrook was intercepted in Wisconsin territory on another series, and five plays later Devin Singletary scored from 1 yard out to make it 21-14 with 4:29 left in the period.

The fans at Camp Randall Stadium were nervous before halftime for a second straight week. In the opener, Wisconsin was tied with Utah State at the half before blowing past the Aggies for a 59-10 win.

Wisconsin started getting more pressure in the second half with three sacks. The Badgers held decisive edges after halftime in total yards (206-50) and first downs (13-2).

It bookended a dominating first quarter by Taylor, who showed a mix of power and speed that could make him the next star running back at Wisconsin.

Taylor ran for scores from 64 and 29 yards in the period, the latter coming after breaking three tackles around left end before jogging into the end zone.

BADGERS DATABASES

TAKEAWAYS

Florida Atlantic: Kiffin said he would evaluate the quarterback position at midweek, but Parr started for a second straight week and had a respectable outing against a tough defense. The sophomore took advantage of blown coverage in the secondary to connect with DeAndre McNeal for a 63-yard touchdown pass that opened the scoring for the Owls and seemed to ease any nerves about whether they could keep up with the Badgers. Parr finished 9 of 19 for 142 yards.

Wisconsin: An apparent miscommunication in the secondary led to McNeal’s long touchdown catch. Cornerback Nick Nelson, a junior playing his second game with the Badgers had the coverage on McNeal but a safety was late coming up to help. … Hornibrook looked accurate and moved around effectively in the pocket in opening the game 8 of 9 with a touchdown pass before getting picked off in the second quarter deep in Wisconsin territory. He finished 16 of 28.

INJURIES

Wisconsin starting RG Beau Benzschawel left the game in the second quarter with a right leg injury. … RB Bradrick Shaw did not play after being listed as questionable this week with a right leg injury.

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic: Scheduled to host Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 16.

Wisconsin: Visits BYU on Sept. 16.

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Everything that Kansas coach David Beaty envisioned when he landed junior college transfer Peyton Bender and plucked offensive coordinator Doug Meacham from TCU manifested itself in the first quarter of the Jayhawks’ season-opening rout of Southeast Missouri State.

There was the 77-yard touchdown pass to Steven Sims Jr. that set the tone in the opening minutes, then the short touchdown pass to Chase Harrell that proved the first score was no fluke.

Bender proceeded to throw two more touchdown passes and finished with 364 yards through the air in the kind of performance not seen at Kansas since Todd Reesing was running the show.

“Coach Meacham did a great job with the game plan, getting everybody involved. I just went through my reads, and went through my progressions,” said Bender, who won a tight race with Carter Stanley for the starting job in fall camp. “You know, that’s how the offense is supposed to work.”

It just hasn’t worked that way in quite a while.

The Jayhawks, who hope to duplicate the effort against Central Michigan on Saturday, have struggled the past couple of years to fully implement Beaty’s “Air Raid” offense. But with Meacham barking at guys on the sideline, the Jayhawks finally showed some offensive explosiveness in a 38-16 victory.

“I mean, worth every penny,” Beaty said of his new assistant. “The guy’s really good. He’s really good. I was talking to some people about that, just watching his poise on game day and how he manages.”

Bender and Meacham could have their work cut out for them this Saturday. The Chippewas picked off six passes — and needed every one of them — in a season-opening, triple-overtime victory over Rhode Island. Justin Cox and Amari Coleman each had two picks.

“All around I thought our defense played amazing, they did really well with (the offense) not getting into the end zone as many times as we wanted to,” Central Michigan quarterback Shane Morris said. “They did a great job. Six picks. Unbelievable. I’ve never been part of a game like that.”

As the Jayhawks and Chippewas meet Saturday, here are some things to watch:

GROUND GAME, PART I: Central Michigan’s Jonathan Ward ran for 147 yards and a touchdown, and Devon Spaulding added 70 yards on 20 carries and the winning score in the final overtime. But the 246 yards on the ground by Central Michigan were offset by four fumbles, three of which were lost.

GROUND GAME, PART II: Kansas managed only 73 yards rushing against the Redhawks, despite trying out five different running backs.

“You know, we’re going to need them all,” Beaty said. “We’re pretty blessed right now, if we can keep them healthy and keep them upright, that we’ve got some talented guys.”

MULTIPLE PASSERS: Morris, a graduate transfer from Michigan, gave way to Central Michigan freshman Tony Poljan for a couple series. Chippewas coach John Bonamego said that was by design.

“The plan was to use Tony more,” Bonamego said. “I thought Tony did a decent job when he was in there.”

NOT ANOTHER JOE: After missing most of last season with an injury, Kansas linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. returned to pile up 15 tackles last weekend. That earned him the Big 12’s defensive player of the week award.

“I’m sure it means a lot to him,” fellow linebacker Keith Loneker Jr. said. “He’s the type of guy that doesn’t think about that type of stuff. He just expects it. That’s what I love about Joe.”

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: Kansas allowed 264 yards to Southeast Missouri State last week, or 3.4 per play. That’s the lowest average for a Jayhawks defense since the 2010 opener against North Dakota State.

“I thought our defense was on the field way too much last week. And the good thing is, as we look at it, almost every bit of it was self-imposed,” Beaty said. “It wasn’t like we were necessarily just overmatched. There wasn’t much we could do. It was pretty much all of us, right?”

The bigger Badgers (2-0) wore down the Owls (0-2) despite some middling play in the middle of the game. Wisconsin opened up 14-0 lead behind two first-quarter touchdowns from Taylor, but didn’t have the game in hand until his third score with 1:12 left in the third quarter made it a 17-point game.

Wisconsin 31, Florida Atlantic 14

This was a trip that Florida Atlantic would remember regardless of the outcome as Lane Kiffin’s first away game as the Owls’ coach.

The threat of Hurricane Irma bearing down on South Florida put the stakes in perspective. The team was staying in Madison at least through Sunday.

They focused on football for at least a few hours on Saturday, putting up a respectable effort on the road against a Big Ten contender.

Taylor was stopped on fourth-and-inches at the 1 on one drive in the second quarter. Hornibrook was intercepted in Wisconsin territory on another series, and five plays later Devin Singletary scored from 1 yard out to make it 21-14 with 4:29 left in the period.

The fans at Camp Randall Stadium were nervous before halftime for a second straight week. In the opener, Wisconsin was tied with Utah State at the half before blowing past the Aggies for a 59-10 win.

Wisconsin started getting more pressure in the second half with three sacks. The Badgers held decisive edges after halftime in total yards (206-50) and first downs (13-2).

It bookended a dominating first quarter by Taylor, who showed a mix of power and speed that could make him the next star running back at Wisconsin.

Taylor ran for scores from 64 and 29 yards in the period, the latter coming after breaking three tackles around left end before jogging into the end zone.

TAKEAWAYS

Florida Atlantic: Kiffin said he would evaluate the quarterback position at midweek, but Parr started for a second straight week and had a respectable outing against a tough defense. The sophomore took advantage of blown coverage in the secondary to connect with DeAndre McNeal for a 63-yard touchdown pass that opened the scoring for the Owls and seemed to ease any nerves about whether they could keep up with the Badgers. Parr finished 9 of 19 for 142 yards.

Wisconsin: An apparent miscommunication in the secondary led to McNeal’s long touchdown catch. Cornerback Nick Nelson, a junior playing his second game with the Badgers had the coverage on McNeal but a safety was late coming up to help. … Hornibrook looked accurate and moved around effectively in the pocket in opening the game 8 of 9 with a touchdown pass before getting picked off in the second quarter deep in Wisconsin territory. He finished 16 of 28.

INJURIES

Wisconsin starting RG Beau Benzschawel left the game in the second quarter with a right leg injury. … RB Bradrick Shaw did not play after being listed as questionable this week with a right leg injury.

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic: Scheduled to host Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 16.

Wisconsin: Visits BYU on Sept. 16.

PARIS (AP) Despite playing with 10 men for nearly an hour, Lille managed to draw 0-0 with Bordeaux in a French league match Friday with few chances for both teams.

Lille got off a strong start and dominated until Thiago Maia, who had already been booked, was sent off after a reckless challenge on Malcom after 32 minutes, hitting the Bordeaux striker in the head with his leg.

Nicolas de Preville, who joined Bordeaux from Lille in the closing hours of the transfer market, went close with a diving header in the 41st minute. Younousse Sankhare had the match’s best chance with 20 minutes left.

Sankhare, another former Lille player, played a one-two with Cafu that unsettled the hosts’ defense but the midfielder missed his effort from close range.

Unbeaten in its last 12 league matches, Bordeaux moved to third place with nine points from five matches, with Lille four points behind.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Stephen Johnson accounted for two touchdowns and Benny Snell rushed for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter to rally Kentucky past Eastern Kentucky 27-16 on Saturday.

Nearly two years after rallying late to eventually beat the FCS Colonels 34-27 in overtime, the Wildcats (2-0) overcame ineffective play on both sides of the ball that created a 13-3 second-quarter deficit. Johnson rebounded from a shaky start to hit tight end C.J. Conrad for a 23-yard TD just before halftime and then Blake Bone for 43 yards in the third. Snell’s 25-yard TD run on the next play provided a 17-16 lead.

On the next possession Johnson spun past several defenders down the right sideline for a 21-yard TD run with 10:09 remaining. He finished 15 of 22 passing for 224 yards and rushed for 48 yards. Kentucky outgained EKU 436-318 in its home opener and improved to 5-0 against the Colonels (0-2).

THE TAKEAWAY

Eastern Kentucky: The Colonels got the fast start they wanted, moved the ball well deep into the third quarter and seemed to have Kentucky on the ropes with a 16-10 lead. But they let the Wildcats slip away again, yielding TDs on consecutive possessions while stalling offensively. Tim Boyle completed 24 of 35 passes for 202 yards and a 7-yard TD to Ryan Markush, and ex-Louisville player L.J. Scott rushed for a 7-yard score.

Kentucky: The Wildcats struggled for two-plus quarters before settling down to gut out another win. Johnson’s arm kept them within reach, and his feet provided the insurance TD. Snell left the game twice in the first half with an injury before reclaiming his bullish rhythm to put Kentucky ahead and finish with 103 yards rushing on 19 carries. Austin MacGinnis added the second of two 39-yard field goals with 23 seconds left.

UP NEXT

Eastern Kentucky: The Colonels are off next week before hosting Tennessee Tech on Sept. 23.

Kentucky: The Wildcats open Southeastern Conference play at South Carolina on Sept. 16.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) Will Grier threw five touchdown passes, including three to David Sills, to lead West Virginia to a 56-20 victory over East Carolina on Saturday.

West Virginia (1-1) scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives spanning the first and second quarters and was never threatened.

In his first home start since transferring from Florida, Grier completed 19 of 25 passes for 352 yards. His TD tosses covered 7, 52, 9, 75 and 4 yards.

Four of Grier’s TD tosses came in the first half, when West Virginia built a 49-3 lead. It was the highest-scoring first half for the Mountaineers since they scored 49 in a 70-33 Orange Bowl win over Clemson following the 2011 season.

West Virginia’s Justin Crawford provided some balance with 15 carries for 118 yards, including TD runs of 5 and 41 yards.

Thomas Sirk, a graduate transfer from Duke, couldn’t get much going in his first start for East Carolina (0-2). Kyzir White intercepted him twice and Sirk finished 16 of 34 for 191 yards with one score before being replaced by Gardner Minshew midway through the third quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

East Carolina: The Pirates couldn’t defend the pass against the Mountaineers after allowing 422 rushing yards in a 34-14 loss to defending FCS champion James Madison a week ago. The Pirates have allowed an average of 616 yards in two games and the schedule isn’t getting any easier.

West Virginia: Grier found seven different receivers, making his home debut look easy. Sills caught seven passes for a career-high 153 yards. The Mountaineers scored once after halftime, when backup quarterback Chris Chugunov played most of the half.

UP NEXT

East Carolina hosts No. 18 Virginia Tech next Saturday.

West Virginia hosts FCS Delaware State next Saturday.

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But through two games, the Cardinals aren't nearly as explosive as in '16, when they scored 70 (Charlotte), 62 (Syracuse), 63 (Florida State) and 59 (Marshall) points before falling to then-No. 5 Clemson 42-36 on the road Oct. 1.

They are of course down receivers James Quick (769 yards and six scores) and Jamari Staples (615 and two TDs) and tight end Cole Hikutini (668 yards and eight TDs), a group that helped the Cardinals produce 23 plays of 40 or more yards (14th in FBS).

Plus, they were backed by a top-15 defense that allowed 322 yards per game.

So far in '17, they have two of those 40-plus yard plays, and both came Saturday with a 75-yard TD strike from Jackson to Jaylen Smith and Williams ripping off that aforementioned run in the fourth quarter.

Meanwhile, the defense, a week after Purdue had 344 yards, gave up 401 vs. the Tar Heels and is allowing 31 points per game, 10 more than at this point in '16.

Maybe the emergence of Williams, who had just two rushes for 17 yards vs. the Boilermakers, will help take pressure off Jackson in the way that Brandon Radcliff did last year, and defensively, there were the positives of North Carolina's two possessions when it was a five-point game in the fourth quarter ending on downs and with a forced fumble.

But the notion that the Cardinals will only go as far as Jackson can take them is about to be truly tested.

Next up for Louisville is defending national champion Clemson and its dominant defensive front. But as Jackson follows a familiar narrative early en route to a 1,000-plus yardage two first games, there's this reminder.

In '16, against a D that was supposed to derail the Cardinals in Week 3, Jackson and Co. embarrassed Florida State to the tune of 63 points and 530 yards.

If the Heisman winner can do that again, given the way Louisville is leaning on him this September, it would be a Hurdle onto itself.

Follow Cory McCartney on Twitter @coryjmccartney and Facebook. His books, 'Tales from the Atlanta Braves Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Braves Stories Ever Told,' and 'The Heisman Trophy: The Story of an American Icon and Its Winners.' are now available.

Copyright The Associated Press. All rights reserved.AP

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Adrian Peterson wore purple, the revered running back was naturally off limits for Minnesota’s defense during practice.

Such will be the strange sight in Minnesota on Monday night, when Peterson lines up in the New Orleans backfield with his white, black and gold Saints jersey and his old friends eagerly eyeing him up from the other side.

“Everson Griffen. Without a doubt,” Peterson said, predicting the Vikings player most interested in making contact with the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

“He’s my boy, but we went back and forth in practice a lot, and he talks a lot of trash. I’m kind of quiet. I don’t say much. But he’ll be amped up to try to hit me.”

Griffen will have plenty of help, when the Vikings host Peterson and the Saints in a season opener overflowing with made-for-TV story lines.

“I’m not going to back down from him,” Rhodes said. “He told me that we’re going to see how that ends.”

How Peterson’s remarkable career concludes remains a mystery, though at age 32 it’s clearly in the twilight stage regardless of his freak-of-nature physical condition and lifelong spirit of determination.

He’ll start with the Saints as a part-time player, with the established Mark Ingram and the rookie Alvin Kamara sharing the carries and catches out of the backfield in this Drew Brees-led, pass-first offense.

“I think it’ll be an adjustment for a couple weeks going in, because I’m used to being in there at all times,” Peterson said, adding: “I knew what I was getting myself into. I know there’s going to be times when I carry the load and there’s going to be times when the load is not as heavy, you know?”

After Peterson was limited to 72 yards on 37 carries by a right knee injury and a leaky offensive line last season, the Vikings predictably declined the $18 million option on his contract and signed free agent Latavius Murray from Oakland instead.

Then they drafted Dalvin Cook out of Florida State. Peterson eventually picked the Saints for the opportunity to play close to his east Texas roots and suburban Houston home and behind the 10-time Pro Bowler Brees.

While Peterson will be plenty motivated in his return to Minnesota against a Vikings team not cool with him stealing their show, the prime-time kickoff and national TV audience for the start to another season will ultimately steer the emotions of the participants on both sides.

Brees led the NFL in passing yards for a record seventh time in 2016. In five games against the Vikings, he’s 4-1 with a 69 percent completion rate and an average of 294 yards passing per game. He has only thrown four interceptions and been sacked four times.

“He’s got an unbelievable arm, too, but one of the things that sets him apart, I think, is he’s so quick getting rid of the football, knowing where to go to the different spots,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “He really is a Hall of Fame kind of quarterback.”

CENTER OF ATTENTION

The Vikings have a long history of excellence at the center position, dating to the arrival of eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame member Mick Tingelhoff in the franchise’s second season. Tingelhoff (six), Jeff Christy (two) and Matt Birk (six) combined for 14 selections for the Pro Bowl. Now third-round draft pick Pat Elflein will be the first rookie to start at center since Tingelhoff in 1962.

“You don’t want to stress yourself out and freak out and make it bigger than it is,” Elflein said. “Be excited, but don’t overexcite yourself.”

SLOW STARTS

The Saints have finished 7-9 after starting 1-3 in each of the past three seasons. They’ve lost three straight openers.

FORMER COLLEAGUES

Payton and Zimmer were once assistants together on the staff of coach Bill Parcells with the Dallas Cowboys, and both of them continue to call Parcells often for advice in their current role.

“He is a heck of a coach, smart,” Zimmer said. “We got a chance to go against each other every day at practice. He was very innovative.”

SITTING OUT

Brees will be without wide receiver Willie Snead, who’s suspended for the first three games. Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford will miss wide receiver Michael Floyd, who is facing a four-game suspension. Both punishments are for drunken driving offenses.

METAIRIE, La. (AP) Willie Snead’s recent suspension, combined with the offseason trade of Brandin Cooks, means Saints quarterback Drew Brees is currently without two of his top three receiving targets from last season.

The first look at Brees’ and coach Sean Payton’s adjustment to changing personnel in New Orleans’ passing game comes Monday night in Minnesota.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer worked with Payton when both were assistants in Dallas and is familiar enough with Brees’ work to conclude that a New Orleans passing game that ranked first in the NFL last season remains a concern for his defense, even with different personnel.

”Snead is a good player and made a lot of catches for Drew, but Drew has a lot of weapons. That offense hasn’t been number one in the league for the last three years because of one guy, so they are always tough to defend,” Zimmer said this week. ”Whether they have Willie Snead or anybody else.”

”They have all kinds of weapons, so (Drew) may be disappointed he has one less, but he’s still got a lot of bullets in that gun,” Zimmer said.

Cooks led New Orleans in yards receiving last season with 1,173 and his eight touchdown catches were second on the club behind only Thomas’ nine. Snead’s 72 catches and 895 yards receiving both ranked third on the club last season.

Brees noted that while Cooks is an excellent receiver, the club traded him back in March and began planning for life without him then.

”We have been moving along with the guys that we have and feel very good about that,” Brees said.

Losing Snead, Brees said, ”was tough and he’s a big part of what we do offensively,” but added, ”The guys that will step into that role will do a good job.”

Thomas, who had 1,137 yards and nine TDs as a rookie, has only looked better in camp, and the Vikings expect him to be a difficult cover.

”Him and Drew have great, great communication. It’s awesome,” Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes said, complimenting the way Brees and Thomas connect on back-shoulder throws. ”Drew Brees is going to make tough throws for us to get to, and Michael Thomas, he’s good at adjusting to the ball.”

Two players who could see more action are fourth-year pro Brandon Coleman and second-year player Tommylee Lewis. At 6-foot-6, Coleman gives Brees a big target, while the 5-7 Lewis is a speedier, more agile option.

”Brandon Coleman has been in it and seen quite a bit of action and then of course Tommylee is going into his second year hadn’t had quite the exposure or the amount of snaps, but both of those guys are going to play and play a lot,” Payton predicted. ”They are different in their skill sets and we’ve got to have the right role in place for them to have success.”

Coleman, a former undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2014, has said this summer that he figures he’s running short on chances to prove he belongs long-term.

”Obviously, I’m growing and that’s a part of it,” Coleman said. ”They kept me here because they see potential in me, so it’s time.”

In designing offensive schemes, Payton has been recognized for his ability to find matchups maximizing the strengths of whichever players are available to him.

This week, there could be more passes for running backs Mark Ingram, Alvin Kamara or even Adrian Peterson. New Orleans also comes into the game with three healthy veteran tight ends in Fleener, Josh Hill and Michael Hoomanawanui.

Hill wasn’t about to divulge whether Payton might emphasize the Saints’ full complement of tight ends in this week’s passing game plan, but didn’t rule out it.

”That’s one of his strong points is he moves guys in position to be successful. He’s obviously one of the best at doing so,” Hill said of Payton. ”He’ll do his thing with the game plan and we’ll make the plays when they come to us. You can expect anything with this offense.”

Bruce’s fourth-inning single put the Indians ahead to stay as Cleveland became just the second team in the expansion era – since 1961 – to win 17 straight in a season.

The crowd of 30,459 stood throughout the ninth inning as Cody Allen retired the heart of Baltimore’s order for his 25th save.

Cleveland’s franchise-record streak is the longest in the majors since Oakland won 20 straight in 2002.

Lindor added his 28th homer in the seventh for the Indians, who haven’t lost since Aug. 23. Josh Tomlin (9-9) pitched five-plus innings for the win.

Baltimore rookie Gabriel Ynoa (1-1), making his first start of the season, allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings.

YANKEES 3, RANGERS 1

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Aroldis Chapman earned his first save since being removed as closer, finishing a one-hitter for the Yankees.

Tyler Austin hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning for wild card-leading New York.

Texas’ only hit was a run-scoring double in the fifth inning off Luis Severino, who went seven innings in his first no-decision since July 15 at Boston.

Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth for his team-leading 17th save in 21 chances and first since Aug. 15. David Robertson (7-2) had a strikeout in a perfect eighth.

Alex Claudio (4-2) got the loss.

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BALTIMORE (AP) Karl Mofor rushed for 98 yards with two touchdowns as Albany defeated Morgan State 26-0 on Saturday.

The freshman, who gained 128 yards in the Great Danes opener last week, averaged 5.4 yards a carry. He scored on runs of 4 and 29 yards. Will Brunson passed for 143 yards and a score, completing 10 of 21 passes. Jordan Crockett, 55 yards receiving, caught the 34-yard TD pass to break open a scoreless game late in the first half. Ethan Stark added field goals of 32 and 41 yards for Albany (1-1).

Morgan State (0-2) got 170 yards passing from Elijah Staley, who completed 18 of 40 passes. The Bears, who have not scored on offense since November 26, 2016, gained just 64 yards rushing. Saturday, the Bears marched as far as the Albany 20 just once.

BOSTON (AP) John Wolford ran one touchdown and threw for another and Wake Forest forced four turnovers on Saturday in a 34-10 victory over Boston College in their Atlantic Coast Conference openers.

Wolford ran 20 times for 92 yards, and the Demon Deacons (2-0) scored 21 points off three BC (1-1) interceptions and a fumble. Eagles freshman Anthony Brown was picked off three times, including one that Essang Bassey returned 30 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-7 just before the half.

Jessie Bates III also intercepted Brown, running it back 37 yards before he was pushed out of bounds at the 2 while diving for the pylon. Two plays later, Cade Carney ran it in from the 3 to make it 31-10.

Wolford completed 13 of 19 passes for 151 yards.

Brown, a freshman who was named the starter before last week’s victory over Northern Illinois, was 11 for 29 for 119 yards with three interceptions – though two went through his receivers’ hands. He was replaced in the third quarter after his third interception by Darius Wade, who completed 7 of 12 passes for 44 yards.

The teams traded punts over the first six drives before John Hilliman fumbled on the second play of BC’s fourth possession. Four plays later, Wolford hit Greg Dortch for a 9-yard score.

After Wolford ran it in from 29 yards out, the Eagles scored on a 6-yard pass Jon Hilliman’s first career touchdown catch with three minutes left in the half. BC then held on defense to get the ball back with 2:13 on the clock.

But on second down, Brown’s pass went through Kobay White’s hands and Bassey grabbed it, taking it down the sideline for the score that made it 21-7 at the half.

THE TAKEAWAY

Wake Forest: In a game that has the potential to determine last place in the ACC’s Atlantic Division, the Demon Deacons were dominant.

Boston College: Heads into Week 3 the same way it started the season: Trying to decide who should start at quarterback.

UP NEXT

Wake Forest: Hosts Utah State next Saturday.

Boston College: Hosts No. 24 Notre Dame on Saturday before heading on the road to play No. 3 Clemson.

Donald has stayed away from the Rams since offseason team activities. The team has described talks with Donald as civil and constructive for several months, but the sides clearly aren’t close to a compromise.

With two years left on his rookie contract, Donald is believed to be seeking a deal to make him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. The disruptive defensive tackle is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.

Donald is due to make $1.8 million this season. He will start missing game checks Sunday.

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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) Mike White ran for two touchdowns and passed for another and Marist beat Stetson 38-17 on Saturday in a Pioneer Football League opener.

White was 32-of-47 passing for 337 yards, his eighth career 300-yard passing game. His 2-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Watson just before the half cut the Hatters’ early lead to 14-7.

Marist (1-1, 1-0) took its first lead after quarterback Colin McGovern was hit by Maliek Carr and fumbled with junior linebacker Ruben Avalos III returning the ball 20 yards for his first career touchdown to go up 17-14 in the third quarter.

After Stetson (0-2, 0-1) kicked a tying field goal early in the fourth quarter, White scrambled 18 yards to put Marist up for good with Areg Nazarian adding a 5-yard TD run and White another score on a 12-yard run.

Junior Juston Christian tied his career high with 11 catches for Marist, good for 143 yards.

McGovern was 26 of 46 for 186 yards passing with two interceptions, both by Drew Daniel.

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State has taken steps to upgrade its defense after spending the past two seasons watching opponents reel in one big play after another.

It’s still a work in progress and a big test comes this weekend.

A week after giving up 549 yards to New Mexico State, the Sun Devils face run-heavy San Diego State and its terrific tailback, Rashaad Penny.

“It’s just old school, kind of a blend between what Stanford and what Boise has done in the past,” Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. “They are going to ground and pound, run play action passes and have had great tailbacks.”

Arizona State (1-0) had the FBS’ worst passing defense each of the past two seasons and hoped for an improvement this season despite playing new cornerbacks. The cornerbacks, Kobe Williams and Joe Bryant, each had key interceptions in last week’s 37-31 season-opening win over New Mexico State, but the Sun Devils again gave up big plays.

New Mexico State rolled up 549 yards of total offense against Arizona State, including 398 yards passing by Tyler Rogers and 151 yards on 30 carries as a team.

The Sun Devils played their starters the entire first half and well into the second, but were well in control of the game heading into the fourth quarter. The Aggies managed to cut into Arizona State’s lead with a string of chunk plays in the final quarter, though, including a 50-yard touchdown run by Jason Huntley.

The stakes will be raised on Saturday.

San Diego State was seventh nationally in rushing offense last season and Penny ran for over 1,000 yards as a backup to Donnel Pumphrey. Penny ran for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 38-17 win over UC Davis last week, helping the Aztecs churn up 276 yards on the ground.

In other words, the Sun Devils could have their hands full.

A few more things to look for when Arizona State hosts San Diego State on Saturday night:

PLAYING THE PAC-12: San Diego State coach Rocky Long likes the challenge of playing against teams from the Pac-12 conference, even if the Aggies have not had much success doing it. San Diego State is 2-16 against the Pac-12 since 2000, but both wins came under Long, including a wild, 45-40 win over California last season. The Aztecs host Stanford next week before opening Mountain West Conference play against Air Force. “Putting (Pac-12 teams) on our schedule is a big deal to us because it’s an opportunity game,” Long told reporters this week. “That was my suggestion because I think in the long run, as college football develops, you better prove that you can compete.”

WILKINS’ RETURN: Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins had a strong return from an injury-plagued 2016 season. The junior threw for 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while extending plays with his legs. Wilkins also avoided taking hard hits, an issue that led to some of the injuries last season, but he also held the ball too long at times. Arizona State had issues protecting him as well.

AZTECS AND TURNOVERS: San Diego State has had a knack for forcing turnovers under Long, ranking second nationally in 2015 and fifth last season. The Aztecs, who run a 3-3-5 defense, had two interceptions and recovered a fumble against UC Davis. Graham preaches ball protection as a top priority every week and it will be particularly important Saturday.

RUNNING DEVILS: Arizona State was expected to have one of the Pac-12’s best 1-2 running back punches this season, but only had one at its disposal against New Mexico State. Senior Demario Richard was limited to one carry against New Mexico State, spending the rest of the game on or near the training table with a right leg injury. He returned to practice this week, so could return for Saturday’s game. Kalen Ballage managed pretty well without his running mate, scoring two touchdowns while rushing for 79 yards.

HAMILTON, N.Y. (AP) Griffin Trau kicked a 27-yard field goal with 1:29 to go and Richmond held on to beat Colgate 20-17 on Saturday in a matchup of highly rated FCS teams.

Trau’s game-winner culminated a nine-play, 64 yard drive for the Spiders (1-1). Daniel Jones intercepted Colgate’s Grant Breneman on the first play from scrimmage after the field goal to seal it.

Colgate (1-1) got on the board first, as a short second-quarter punt set the Raiders up in Richmond territory. Six plays later, Breneman hit Alex Greenawalt from the 7 for a touchdown. Richmond answered on its next drive, going 75 yards in six plays, including Deontez Thompson’s 5-yard scoring run.

The Spiders tied it on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Gordon Collins, and took its first lead with just under 9 minutes to go on Trau’s 36-yard field goal.

Colgate’s Chris Puzzi tied it at 17 with a 25-yard field goal with 3:58 left.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Lexi Thompson shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over Sandra Gal and Kris Tamulis in the LPGA Tour’s inaugural Indy Women in Tech Championship.

Thompson had 11 birdies and two bogeys to fall a stroke short of the Brickyard Crossing record set by Mike McCullough in the PGA Tour Champions’ 1999 Comfort Classic.

”It was quite the early morning, so it was a bit cold on the range and struggled a bit on the range, but I just hit a few good drivers at the end,” Thompson said. ”I just committed to one thing going into the round and I think that’s what made my day a lot easier on me. I just stuck to my routine and committed to my golf shots.”

Gal, like Thompson, started her morning round on the back nine that features four holes inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gal hit 12 of 14 fairways in regulation in her bogey-free round.

”It’s cool, it’s funky. I really do like the course,” Gal said. ”I think it has really good challenges off the tee and the greens, and it’s cool being inside the track. It gets a little bit windy in there actually. It’s just so big, it’s unbelievable to be in there.”

Tamulis had the best afternoon score with four birdies on each side.

”I think actually just worrying about the hurricane makes me feel like golf’s not a big deal, so I just hit it where I was looking, made some putts,” said Tamulis, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Thompson, the 22-year-old Florida player ranked No. 3 in the world, tied for 21st last week in Portland, Oregon, in her first event since the Solheim Cup – where she overcame a big deficit in her closing singles match against Anna Nordqvist to earn a half-point for the winning Americans.

”I would say that round definitely gave me the confidence that I can make those birdies if I just let it go and fire at pins and commit to my shots and don’t doubt it,” Thompson said. ”That’s how golf is. Golf is a lot about confidence and just committing to yourself and believing in yourself, something I’m learning along the way.”

Taking advantage of the wide fairways and forgiving greens softened by overnight rain, Thompson birdied three of the first five holes. She has seven birdies and a bogey in an eight-hole stretch from No. 17 to No. 6, and rebounded from a bogey on No. 8 with a birdie on No. 9.

”It was just two really bad iron shots and just ended up bogeying,” Thompson said. ”But for the most part, I hit it great. Just hit a few bad shots with the bogeys, but I’m definitely not complaining.”

She won at Kingsmill in May for her eighth career victory.

The 32-year-old Gal needed a little more time to get started. After opening with five straight pars, the German player birdied six of the next seven holes and closed with two more birdies at Nos. 5 and 9.

”I’ve been feeling like my game’s been pretty good the last couple months, but I just haven’t been scoring, so everything just came together,” Gal said. ”I think I also had a good attitude. I felt like I enjoyed it a little bit more out there.”

Lydia Ko, winless in more than a year, was two shot back at 65 along with Moriya Jutanugarn.

”It’s nice to get off to a really solid start,” Ko said. ”I’ve been struggling the last few months, so it’s nice to be able to put myself in a different rhythm. And I was with a really good group with Anna and Stacy (Lewis). Obviously, Stacy winning last week, it’s really nice to play alongside them.”

Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Amy Olsonshot 66, and Cristie Kerr and Brooke Henderson topped the group at 67.

”It’s so different than every other golf course that we get to play,” Henderson said. ”It’s in amazing condition and it really makes you think all the way around, which I think is good for my game.”

Lewis opened with a 72. The Houston player donated her winnings last week in Portland to hurricane relief efforts in her hometown area.

Nordqvist had a 74.

Danielle Kang tried to play through a leg infection, but withdrew before finishing the round.

The 54-hole event ends Saturday.

As we near the end of the fantasy baseball season, we’ll take a look at players’ value for the 2018 season in addition to a few nuggets helping you to finish strong. First, we’ll have to touch on another new rookie that’s looking impressive before covering two rebounding players and another injury disappointment.

CHEERS

Harrison Bader, STL – Everyone still alive in Fantasy Baseball is wondering who this Bader kid is. In just two weeks, Bader is hitting .310 with a .571 SLG percentage thanks to three home runs in 12 games. While Bader has been hot since his arrival, he’s still striking out a lot (32.6 percent) which should have you concerned, as should the fact that the PCL inflates minor league hitting numbers. The good news is that Bader has long-term potential matching Magglio Ordonez with mid-20 home run power and mid-teen stolen bases. Bader’s swing is a bit flat and he struggles against righties. That’s led to above average strikeout rates throughout his career. Bader won’t stay this hot through the end of the season, but he has the potential to hit .270 with 80-plus Runs and RBIs added to those home run and stolen base numbers. I did say ”potential,” so keep Bader in mind next year, as your OF3/4 with upside for a better return.

Kevin Kiermaier, TB – Kiermaier is back – both for the Rays and as the Fantasy player owners expected to see when they drafted him this year. Unfortunately, Kiermaier started slow and then heated up in May, only to hit the DL early in June. Fortunately, if you were able to stash him on the DL, Kiermaier is hitting .360 with four HRs, three SBs, 16 Runs and 14 RBIs since returning on August 18. Now that’s what owners were expecting! Smart owners saw Kiermaier’s potential from last season and knew he had the potential for a solid average with 20-plus HRs, 30-plus SBs and the Runs and RBIs that come with that. Kiermaier had Top 20 outfielder potential, and truthfully, he still does. The one flaw surrounding Kiermaier is his health, as he has just one season with more than 120 games played and only one with more than 108 games in the majors. Savvy players will be on Kiermaier again next year, and you should be as well. Draft him as an OF3 with that same potential if he can just stay healthy.

Justin Verlander, HOU – Verlander is back. well, he’s arrived for the Astros but continued his late-season rebound with a great first start for his new team. Over his last four starts, Verlander is 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 27 innings. While Verlander isn’t going to pitch to a sub-2.00 ERA, it’s nice to see his xFIP at 2.71, meaning it’s not all luck driven success. Verlander has dropped his walks, which have plagued him this season. He has a 3.4 BB/9 for the year, even with a low 1.7 mark in those starts. This will be critical to Verlander’s continued success, as Houston is a bit less favorable than Detroit for ballparks, and Verlander continues to struggle with home runs. Looking toward 2018, Verlander isn’t on the SP1 tier anymore, even if he finishes the season pitching this well. Verlander is more like the pitcher we saw last year with a higher WHIP and a tendency for more poor outings. He’s a modest SP2.

TEARS

Yoenis Cespedes, NYM – Cespedes’ season ended two weeks ago, but what does that mean for 2018? The good news is that Cespedes was on pace for 33 home runs, 90 Runs and 82 RBIs to go with a .292 average over 159 games. The bad news is that Cespedes has only played 159 games once. In fact, since that 2015 season, Cespedes has missed 111 games the last two years, including half of this season. Cespedes always had Top 15 outfielder potential, and even neared that value even while playing just 132 games last year. However, home runs increased significantly this season, which lessens the value of 33 home runs. Just look at how little interest and trade value the Mets got back for Jay Bruce. Given Cespedes’ high injury risk, he’s simply not worth the gamble as a Top 15, even 25, outfielder next year. In fact, I don’t think I’d be comfortable with him as more than my OF3.

STREAMING PITCHERS

The Brewers continue to lead the league in strikeout percentage over the last 30 days and are scoring less than usual. They are a good team to target when streaming pitchers. The Rays and Padres also haven’t found their way out of their funks, and strike out more than most while putting up low runs totals. On the other hand, the Angels continue their playoff push and added Justin Upton, while the Twins are right their keeping chase in the standings and with their bats. Avoid both hot lineups for now.

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by Jake Ciely of the Fantasy Sports Network, http://FNTSY.com

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Aroldis Chapman earned his first save since being removed as closer to finish a one-hitter in the New York Yankees’ 3-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Tyler Austin hit a go-ahead single in the ninth inning for the wild card-leading Yankees.

Texas’ only hit was a run-scoring double in the fifth inning off Luis Severino, who went seven innings in his first no-decision since July 15 at Boston.

Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth for his team-leading 17th save in 21 chances and first since Aug. 15. David Robertson (7-2) had a strikeout in a perfect eighth.

Chase Headley drove in two runs without a hit – a tying sacrifice fly in the eighth and a bases-loaded walk for a 3-1 lead in the ninth.

Texas starter Andrew Cashner had a shutout while pitching into the eighth inning for just the second time this season, but left after hitting Todd Frazier with the first pitch of the eighth.

Alex Claudio gave up a single to pinch-hitter Matt Holliday, putting Frazier at third with no outs and setting up Headley’s sacrifice fly an out later.

Claudio (4-2) allowed four singles among eight batters he faced. Frazier was hit by a pitch again in the ninth by Ricky Rodriguez, who allowed Austin’s go-ahead hit and Headley’s walk.

Nicholas’ double into the right-field corner scored Will Middlebrooks from first base. Middlebrooks was the only runner past second against Severino.

Aaron Judge walked in the second inning to tie the major league rookie record of 106 by Cleveland’s Les Fleming in 1942.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: SS Didi Gregorius was back in the lineup after fouling a pitch off a foot Friday and leaving the game early.

Rangers: CF Carlos Gomez rolled his right ankle on a swing in his first at-bat and left the game. He missed a month in May and June with a hamstring strain and was on the 10-day disabled list last month to have a cyst removed behind his right shoulder. … C Robinson Chirinos had a sore left hamstring but probably would have been out of the lineup anyway with a day game after a night game.

UP NEXT

Yankees: Rookie LHP Jordan Montgomery (7-7, 4.14 ERA) will make his 26th start on an extra day of rest. He hasn’t won since July 25 against Cincinnati, a span of six starts.

Rangers: RHP A.J. Griffin (6-5, 5.09) pitches on seven days’ rest. He is 3-0 in five starts against the Yankees.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) The Texas A&M Aggies are desperate to put their stunning loss to UCLA in their opener behind them when they host Nicholls State on Saturday.

They’ll have to do it with a new quarterback after Nick Starkel broke his ankle against the Bruins and is expected to be out for the rest of the season. Starkel was injured early in Sunday’s game and true freshman Kellen Mond struggled as the Aggies blew a 34-point, third-quarter lead in the 45-44 loss.

”I’m confident with how we’re going to bounce back,” receiver Christian Kirk said. ”The most important thing right now is putting it in the past and moving on. We’ve still got a long season ahead of us and there’s no time to dwell.”

It was a long week in College Station, with fresh questions about coach Kevin Sumlin’s future after the Aggies went 8-5 in each of the last three seasons after opening 5-0 each time. A member of the system’s board of regents called for his firing after the game and then Sumlin’s wife said a racist, threatening letter calling for Sumlin to go ”or else ” was delivered to their home.

Sumlin, who has three years and $15 million left on his contract, insists that he ignores any outside talk about him and his team.

”My focus is on what we can do to be better,” he said. ”I really don’t have time to get involved with things that are said about the program.”

Both Mond and Jake Hubenak will play on Saturday, but Sumlin wouldn’t say who will start. He noted that it will be important for the team to get a good look at both players in Saturday’s game and next week’s against Louisiana-Lafayette before the Aggies open Southeastern Conference play against Arkansas on Sept. 23.

Sumlin said he chose not to play Hubenak against UCLA because he wanted to try and get Mond in a rhythm.

”Kellen had been in the game and was in the flow to play,” Sumlin said. ”Kellen brought some other things to the table. He made first downs with his legs that some other guys probably couldn’t make. He made some freshman mistakes, but we were able to make some first downs and take some time off the clock and feel comfortable with that.”

Mond was just 3 of 17 for 27 yards, but ran for 54 yards on 14 carries. Kirk knows that he and the rest of the receivers need to do more to help the quarterbacks succeed.

”I was getting doubled the majority of the game and there’s opportunities for some of the young guys to step up,” he said. ”It was their first game. I’m sure there were some nerves going on and we’ve just got to get past that”

RUNNING WILD

Since Sumlin took over in 2012, the Aggies have been known for their potent passing game. With inexperience at quarterback this season, it could be the running game that stars in this offense. Trayveon Williams and Keith Ford starred against the Bruins, combining for 317 yards rushing and five scores. Williams, who became the first true freshman in school history to rush for 1,000 yards last season, had 203 yards and two touchdowns and Ford added 114 yards and three scores.

LOOKING FOR NO. 4

Nicholls State is 3-27 in 30 meetings with FBS teams since 2000, and has dropped both of its games to teams from the SEC. The Colonels beat Rice in 2007, Arkansas State in 2011 and their last win over an FBS school came when they beat Western Michigan in 2013. Nicholls State had a tough time with Arkansas in 2014, falling 73-7 to the Razorbacks. But they gave Georgia a scare last season before the Bulldogs outlasted them 26-24.

HARVEY RELIEF

The Aggies offered free tickets to Saturday’s game and next week’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette to all victims of Hurricane Harvey as well as first-responders and volunteers. The school is also selling T-shirts to help in the relief effort and the team is wearing a decal on its helmets to honor those affected by the storm.

”Texas A&M University has always stood ready to help when called upon, and the events in Texas and the gulf coast present another opportunity for us to lend a hand,” athletic director Scott Woodward said. ”We want to provide a brief reprieve to all of those affected by this tragedy, as well as extend an expression of gratitude to all of the first-responders and volunteers that are working so hard to help the region return to normalcy.”

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

Todd Frazier was hit by a pitch in the 8th inning and scored the tying run. He was then HBP in the 9th to fuel the winning rally. He joins Ken Rosenthal after the game to discuss.

CLEVELAND (AP) Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy, out nearly three months with a broken right wrist, has been activated from the 60-day disabled list.

Hardy was hit by a pitch on June 18 and placed on the DL the following day. He is batting .211 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 64 games and recently completed a minor league rehab assignment.

Tim Beckham, acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline, has taken over the shortstop duties. He’s batting .359 with seven homers and 20 RBIs since the trade.

Left-hander Andrew Faulkner, who had been pitching at Triple-A Norfolk, was designated for assignment.

Bruce’s fourth-inning single put the Indians ahead to stay as Cleveland became just the second team in the expansion era – since 1961 – to win 17 straight in a season.

The crowd of 30,459 stood throughout the ninth inning as Cody Allen retired the heart of Baltimore’s order for his 25th save.

Cleveland’s franchise-record streak is the longest in the majors since Oakland won 20 straight in 2002. The longest streak in baseball history belongs to the New York Giants, who had a 26-game run in 1916, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Giants’ streak included a tie, which doesn’t count as a game in baseball.

Lindor added his 28th homer in the seventh for the Indians, who haven’t lost since Aug. 23.

Cleveland has outscored its opponents 118-30 in the streak, but its latest win came in a rare close game.

The Orioles jumped in front on Trey Mancini’s infield hit against Josh Tomlin in the first. It was the first time since Cleveland’s last loss that the Indians didn’t score first.

Tomlin (9-9) was pulled after Tim Beckham’s leadoff homer in the sixth. Five relievers combined to work the final four innings.

Baltimore rookie Gabriel Ynoa (1-1), making his first start of the season, allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings. The Orioles were three games out in the wild-card race entering play.

Giovanny Urshela’s third-inning double tied it at 1. Carlos Santana scored on Bruce’s single past a drawn-in infield, and then added an RBI double in the fifth.

The Indians nearly pulled off two spectacular defensive plays in the first. Urshela, playing second base for the first time in the majors, made a diving stop behind the bag of Manny Machado’s ground ball. Throwing while on his back, Urshela’s peg nearly got Machado at first.

Machado took third on Adam Jones’ single. Mancini hustled down the line to beat a strong throw from shortstop Lindor, who ranged behind second for his grounder.

The Indians went 11-0 on a road trip that ended Thursday. Cleveland extended the streak with a 5-0 win Friday in the opener of a 10-game homestand.

ROLLING ALONG

Cleveland slugger Edwin Encarnacion singled in the seventh and has reached base via a hit or walk in 32 consecutive games.

Baltimore right-hander Jeremy Hellickson makes his eighth start since being acquired from Philadelphia on July 28. He is 2-3 with a 6.87 ERA with the Orioles. Cleveland right-hander Trevor Bauer seeks to extend his career-long winning streak to nine games. He is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four career starts against Baltimore.

AMES, Iowa (AP) Nate Stanley threw a 5-yard TD pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette in overtime and Iowa rallied to stun Iowa State 44-41 on Saturday, its third straight win over the rival Cyclones.

Stanley threw for 333 yards and five touchdowns in his first road start for the Hawkeyes (2-0), who blew an early 11-point lead before rallying to force overtime on a brilliant catch and run by Akrum Wadley.

Iowa’s defense forced the Cyclones to settle for a field goal to open OT. Stanley then found Smith-Marsette to cap one of the most thrilling games this rivalry had ever seen.

”It was a dog fight,” Wadley said. ”We knew we were going to get their best effort.”

Hakeem Butler caught a 74-yard touchdown pass with 4:36 left in the fourth quarter to give the Cyclones a 38-31 lead. But Wadley, one of the nation’s most dangerous players in space, caught a short pass over the middle and shredded Iowa State’s defense to tie it up with 1:09 left.

Jacob Park had 347 yards and four TD passes for Iowa State (1-1), and David Montgomery rushed for 112 yards and caught five passes.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa: The Hawkeyes defense, which looked so strong in holding Wyoming to three points last week, was worn down by the Cyclones and their talented playmakers in the second half. But Stanley, who barely won the starting job in August, seized control late- with more than a little help from Wadley, who rushed for 118 yards. Stanley has eight touchdown passes against just one pick through two starts.

Iowa State: The Hawkeyes looked like they had put the game away after touchdown drives of 91 and 94 yards put them up 21-10. But instead of folding like they had so often in the past, the Cyclones showed resiliency. Iowa State spread out Iowa’s defense in the second half, and Park found his playmakers time after time. Still, this defeat will sting in Ames for years to come – especially because of who it came against.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes host North Texas on Saturday.

Iowa State travels to face Akron on Saturday.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

The Oregon Ducks wanted to #StompOutCancer vs. Nebraska.

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Adrian Peterson suggests it is “crazy” to assume he isn’t still one of the best running backs in the NFL just because he’s 32 years old and has had two knee surgeries.

In a few days, the new Saints running back gets his chance to demonstrate his point against the team that let him go in the city where he became arguably the best ball carrier of his generation.

“I’m pretty excited about it — just trying to keep myself calm until Monday night comes around,” said Peterson, who spent all of his previous 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. “I’m looking for amazing things to happen for me and our team.”

Peterson’s logic is “just based on the work that I put in and just honestly the God-given ability I’ve been blessed with.”

The Saints have been relatively cautious with Peterson, who missed most of last season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He played only a few snaps in the preseason, with just a handful of carries for 2 to 3 yards each and one screen pass that lost a yard.

Last year’s knee surgery was his second. Then again, his career-best 2,097 yards rushing in 2012 came one year after his first knee surgery, an ACL reconstruction.

Peterson also likes to point out that he led the NFL with 1,485 yards rushing in 2015, “behind a mediocre offensive line,” he added, after missing 15 games the previous season, when he was dealing with the legal and public relations fallout from his use of force to discipline his then-4-year-old son.

With his first Saints camp under his belt, Peterson asserts, “I’m back and I’m healthy.”

“It’s just always crazy sitting back and seeing how, just because, you know, I’m 32 now, people say, `Oh, well, he’s losing it because this back or that back lost it around that time,'” Peterson said after practice Thursday . “But you erase the (2015) season when I came back after sitting out for a year and led the league in rushing.”

Peterson also noted that while the type of meniscus surgery he had typically requires about six months’ rehabilitation, he spent $10,000 per week of his own money for special treatments that helped accelerate his recovery so that he could try to play late last season. He got back for one game in mid-December, but with Minnesota out of the playoffs and a groin injury surfacing, he was taken out of the lineup again for the final two games.

“I didn’t leave anything on the table,” Peterson said. “I gave it my all, with everything that I did.”

Peterson signed his free-agent contract with New Orleans shortly after the NFL schedule came out, pitting the Saints against Minnesota in Week 1. But Peterson noted that the deal was virtually done before the schedule was released, and only technical contract language remained to be hashed out.

Peterson maintains that he was willing, after last season, to try to work out a new deal to stay in Minnesota after it became clear the Vikings wouldn’t exercise his $18 million option , but took the Vikings’ signing of Latavius Murray as his cue to look for a new team.

“For me to have an exit meeting and the next time I talked to them I was getting a call at 1 o’clock in the morning saying we’re signing Latavius Murray, that’s no ego blow for me,” Peterson said matter-of-factly. “For me, that’s motivation. Congratulations. Now I can move on and take my abilities somewhere else.”

He has taken them to a team that won’t need him to be the workhorse he’s been since his rookie season out of Oklahoma in 2007, when he set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards. Now he’s in the backfield with a record-setting quarterback in Drew Brees, who led the NFL in passing last season for a record seventh time.

Peterson describes the breadth and intricacies of Saints coach Sean Payton’s playbook as “something I have never seen.”

“I’m sure I’ll have my opportunities,” Peterson said. “But when you have that many playmakers, you have to put them in the game.”

And while Peterson doesn’t hide his eagerness to make his Saints debut in Minnesota, he said he still very much appreciates his time there, expects to one day be in their ring of honor and is even looking forward to receiving in his Minneapolis hotel room some chocolate chip cookies a particular fan who has long baked for the Vikings, and who said she would leave some for him this year as well.

Peterson added that as long as the Saints win, he doesn’t really care how they do it, adding that he doesn’t want to his highly hyped return to Minnesota to be a distraction for his team.

For their part, his teammates don’t seem to mind.

“No matter how much you want to play that down, he’s one of, if not the greatest player in that organization’s history and they made a decision to let him go and we were fortunate enough to grab him,” right tackle Zach Strief said. “I don’t know that there’s grudges held, but I think it would be inhuman not to have a desire to play well against your former team. … We’re excited to get to go out and play with him.”

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Tracy McGrady says the celebration of his induction in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has been muted by the impact of Hurricane Harvey on his family and neighbors in Texas.

The seven-time NBA All Star and two-time league scoring champion is among 11 basketball greats enshrined Friday in Springfield.

“Although this weekend is awesome, I’m humbled, I’m honored, what I left behind is way more important,” McGrady said. “Way more important.”

McGrady said his estate in Sugar Land, Texas, suffered only minor damage from the storm, allowing him and his wife to take in the families of five relatives and friends for three days after mandatory evacuations. He also put on a Labor Day feast at a church in the Houston area for about 800 victims of the storm.

“My sister was at the house, and I was trying to take her home and driving to her house. Just seeing cars under water and you don’t know if people are in there — it’s real,” he said. “I’m being as vocal and proactive as I can.”

Inductee Mannie Jackson talked about being born in a box car in Missouri and rising to become a player and later owner of the Harlem Globetrotters.

“It’s great to have two of us going in on the same day,” McGraw said. “Hopefully, in the future, there will be more.”

Kansas men’s coach Bill Self, 54, said he feels a little uncomfortable being enshrined in the middle of his career, which includes nine 30-win seasons and an NCAA championship in 2008.

“I hope it doesn’t mean that I’m on my last leg yet,” he said. “I think this will be motivation to try and validate it, always. I’ll work harder now that ever to validate being thought of with these other fraternity members.”

Others honored Friday include former ABA and NBA star George McGinnis, Texas high school coach Robert Hughes, NCAA administrator Tom Jernstedt and former European star Nick Galis. Former Chicago Bull’s general manager Jerry Krause, who died in March and former Globetrotters and New York Rens player Zack Clayton are being honored posthumously.

Jernstedt, credited with overseeing the growth of the Division I men’s tournament and the creation of the women’s tournament, is impressed with the class.

“I didn’t know three of four of these people very well at all before, but the contributions they’ve made are so impressive,” he said. “Hopefully now, more people will understand that and reach out and learn more about them.”

NEW YORK (AP) The Latest on the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year (all times local):

—

4:25 p.m.

Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain and Kevin Anderson of South Africa have started play in the first U.S. Open men’s semifinal.

It’s the furthest either man has ever gone in a Grand Slam tournament. The No. 12-seeded Carreno Busta got to the final four easily, not dropping a set against five opponents ranked outside the top 30.

The U.S. Open hasn’t had a champion who didn’t drop a set since Neale Fraser in 1960.

Anderson, the No. 28 seed, has won both meetings.

—

1:50 p.m.

The 12th-seeded team of Horia Tecau of Romania and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands won their first U.S. Open men’s doubles championship.

Tecau and Rojer defeated the 11th-seeded Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez 6-4, 6-3 in the final at Flushing Meadows on Friday.

This is the second Grand Slam title for Tecau and Rojer, who won Wimbledon in 2015.

Tecau and Rojer eliminated top-seeded Henri Kontinen and John Peers in the semifinals.

The two Lopezes, who are not related, won the 2016 French Open.

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1 p.m.

Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro will meet in one U.S. Open men’s semifinal. Pablo Carreno Busta and Kevin Anderson will play in the other.

The matches Friday offer quite a contrast in experience and name recognition.

Neither Carreno Busta nor Anderson has played in a semifinal at any Grand Slam tournament.

The other semifinal features a pair of past champions at Flushing Meadows. Nadal won the tournament in 2010 and 2013 for two of his 15 Grand Slam titles. Del Potro was the U.S. Open champion in 2009, when he beat Nadal in the semifinals and Roger Federer in the final.

This time, he takes on those two greats of the game in reverse order: del Potro beat Federer in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

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More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

PHOTOS: #19 Kansas State dominates Charlotte 55-7

The 2017 regular season comes to a close in Richmond on Saturday night. Get hyped for the big race with all the best radioactive sound since 2014.

Peter CaseyPeter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

'Spectator climbing the fence.'

'They [expletive] plowed into us.'

'Whiny little [expletive] ain't getting any help from me.'

'5, 4, 3, 2, [expletive]'

'I'm just messing with you!'

Getty ImagesGetty Images

Richmond has everyone fired up

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott stared blankly at a reporter who asked how many times the new face of the Dallas franchise had heard the term “sophomore slump” in recent months after one of the best rookie seasons for a quarterback in NFL history.

“Say again?” the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year said.

The reporter repeated the question.

“What’s that?” Prescott shot back.

Without using any words, the sudden star of America’s Team suggested there’s plenty he thinks he can do for an encore starting Sunday night against the New York Giants after leading the Cowboys to the best record in the NFC.

And since Prescott likes to talk about winning, that’s probably the best place to start since the Cowboys followed their franchise-record 11-game winning streak and 13-3 season with a divisional playoff loss at home to Green Bay last January.

“All I’ve ever known is hard work, and hard work pays off,” said Prescott, who tied the rookie QB record of 13 wins set by Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.

“That’s what I did in this offseason as I’ve done every offseason in my career.”

He also signed endorsements, attended packed youth football camps bearing his name and celebrated from the second row when his alma mater, Mississippi State, ended UConn’s record 111-game winning streak at the women’s Final Four in Dallas.

While recognizing his rapid rise to fame, Prescott never missed a chance to explain why it was happening. That also meant reminding everyone that the winning and the touchdowns and the triple-digit passer rating had to continue as well.

“Everything,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said when asked what Prescott needed to do to improve on his remarkable debut.

“I’m being honest. He’s also very honest with himself. He works on his fundamentals and takes the coaching like no one else in my opinion and works on a daily basis to get better.”

Prescott was a fourth-round draft pick and third-string quarterback when backup Kellen Moore broke an ankle in training camp last year. He’d already had two impressive preseason outings when Tony Romo broke a bone in his back in the third exhibition game.

A year later, Prescott appears to be the next 10-year starter after Romo, who retired and went into broadcasting after having to accept during the season that he wasn’t getting his job back.

Sudden change? Depends on who’s talking.

“I feel like by the time Sunday comes last year to this year, it’s the same,” Prescott said. “My coaches do a good job preparing me. Obviously I’m a much better player, much more experienced. So that takes care of itself. But for the most part I’m going to be prepared for the game when Sunday hits.”

The Giants beat Prescott and the Cowboys twice last season, first in what was a solid outing for his debut and then in by far Prescott’s worst game, a 10-7 Dallas loss that ended the 11-game run.

Prescott wasn’t the only record-setting rookie for the Cowboys last season. Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL with 1,631 yards rushing as the fourth overall pick, and both benefited from one of the league’s best offensive lines.

Elliott will play the opener, but his status beyond that is in doubt after the appeal of his six-game suspension over a domestic violence case was denied. If Elliott serves the suspension this season, the first question will be how Prescott functions without him.

“I think one of the best things Dak does is he has a lot of confidence in the guys around him, he communicates really well and puts us all in good position,” 15th-year tight end Jason Witten said. “I just think it’s just trust our system even more.”

Ask Prescott about the notion that opponents now have a year’s worth of video on him, and he’ll respond that he has the same.

Ask him what he wants to accomplish after a dizzying list of impressive numbers last season, and the answer will be almost as short as the one about a sophomore slump. Prescott wants to win.

“You take any player that will put the time in, he’ll improve,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “He’s done an extraordinary amount of work, and his improvement has been dramatic. It wouldn’t be at all wrong to expect a better Dak.”

So don’t even ask about a sophomore slump.

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) Timo Werner’s good week continued Friday with another goal to help Leipzig defeat Hamburger SV 2-0 away in the Bundesliga.

Werner, who scored twice in a man-of-the-match performance for Germany in a World Cup qualifier on Monday, sealed Leipzig’s second win from three games with a quarter hour remaining.

The visitors thought they had a penalty before the break when Deniz Aytekin pointed to the spot after Werner fell under Albin Ekdal’s challenge. Aytekin consulted his video assistant, however. TV replays showed Ekdal got the ball before making contact with Werner’s foot and the decision was reversed.

Naby Keita finally broke the deadlock with a fine strike from distance midway through the second half.

Hamburg coach Markus Gisdol brought on Sven Schipplock for a defensive midfielder and the move almost paid off immediately when Peter Gulacsi produced a brilliant save to deny the Hamburg forward an equalizer.

The home side was to rue the miss when Werner scored on the counterattack. Kevin Kampl sent the Germany striker through to race forward and the 21-year-old stayed cool in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kendall Adams hadn’t scored since high school.

On Saturday, the defensive player reached the end zone twice in the first half returning an interception and fumble for touchdowns to lead Kansas State. The No. 19 Wildcats used those scores to rout Charlotte 55-7.

Kansas State (2-0) led 14-0 midway through the first quarter, before Adams took an interception 30 yards up the far sideline and made it 21-0.

“Coach Hayes had help set up what they were going to do,” Adams said. “We had that game plan and I sat on the route, broke on it, got the ball and just ran it in.”

The pick was Adams first of the season. With just over four minutes remaining before halftime, Adams was in the right place again as he picked up a fumble from 46 yards out to make the score 31-7.

“Coaches always tell us to pick up the ball if it’s borderline and that’s what I did, I couldn’t tell if it was a live ball or not so I just picked it up and took it in.”

The last Wildcat to accomplish this feat was Dyshod Carter against Missouri in 1999.

On offense, the Wildcats were just as effective with Alex Barnes, Jesse Ertz and Winston Dimel scoring.

After struggling in the running game a week ago, the Wildcats scored five rushing touchdowns and gained 304 yards on the ground against Charlotte (0-2).

One of the many highlights on the day for the Wildcats was a 20 yard gain by Alex Barnes that ended with him hurdling over a Charlotte defender.

Barnes ended his day with 102 yards rushing along with his one score.

“It just shows how diverse of an offense we are,” Barnes said. “Last week we were not getting it done on the ground so we threw for 400 yards. This week it was a little tougher in the air so wee just grounded the rock all day.”

The Pro Bowl wide receiver has drawn the ire of NFL officials in recent years for his over-the-top touchdown celebrations. The NFL decided in the offseason to loosen the rules, leaving the free-wheeling Brown to put on a show whenever he reaches the end zone this season.

Brown says his dance plans are under wraps for now. The Steelers open the season in Cleveland this weekend. Brown says winning is more important than his pursuit of personal goals.

Brown is coming off the most productive four-year stretch by a receiver in league history but has yet to win a Super Bowl. Brown says that’s his main goal heading into the second half of his career.

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More AP NFL: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Oregon's Royce Freeman flies over the Nebraska defense for the 1-yard rush touchdown -- his 2nd TD of the game.

Borg was pulled from UFC 215 because of a 'viral illness' Thursday night.

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kendall Adams hadn’t scored since high school.

On Saturday, the defensive player reached the end zone twice in the first half, returning an interception and fumble for touchdowns to lead Kansas State. The No. 19 Wildcats used those scores to rout Charlotte 55-7.

Kansas State (2-0) led 14-0 midway through the first quarter, before Adams took an interception 30 yards up the far sideline and made it 21-0.

“Coach Hayes had helped set up what they were going to do,” Adams said. “We had that game plan and I sat on the route, broke on it, got the ball and just ran it in.”

The pick was Adams’ first of the season. With just over four minutes remaining before halftime, Adams was in the right place again as he picked up a fumble from 46 yards out to make the score 31-7.

“Coaches always tell us to pick up the ball if it’s borderline and that’s what I did. I couldn’t tell if it was a live ball or not so I just picked it up and took it in.”

The last Wildcat to accomplish this feat was Dyshod Carter against Missouri in 1999.

On offense, the Wildcats were just as effective with Alex Barnes, Jesse Ertz and Winston Dimel scoring.

After struggling in the running game a week ago, the Wildcats scored five rushing touchdowns and gained 304 yards on the ground against Charlotte (0-2).

One of the many highlights on the day for the Wildcats was a 20-yard gain by Alex Barnes that ended with him hurdling over a Charlotte defender.

Barnes ended his day with 102 yards rushing along with his one score.

“It just shows how diverse of an offense we are,” Barnes said. “Last week we were not getting it done on the ground so we threw for 400 yards. This week it was a little tougher in the air so we just grounded the rock all day.”

Charlotte: Saturday’s loss to Kansas State marks the first time Charlotte has started 0-2 to begin the season since they became a member of NCAA’s FBS division starting in 2015.

INJURY REPORT

Kansas State right tackle Dalton Risner left in the game’s first series with an injury and did not return for the rest of the game.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Kansas State will remain ranked in the AP’s Top 25 this coming week.

UP NEXT

Kansas State: The Wildcats visit Vanderbilt.

Charlotte: The 49ers host North Carolina A&T.

NEW YORK (AP) Dutch tennis player Jean-Julien Rojer wore a shirt showing the Statue of Liberty while winning the U.S. Open men’s doubles championship on Friday to send what he called a message about peace and freedom in the aftermath of last month’s violence at a rally of neo-Nazis and white nationalists in Charlottseville, Virginia.

”I just wanted to have the conversation going (by) promoting … freedom and justice, liberty, for everybody on gender issues, on racial issues, which we deal a lot with in this country,” said Rojer, who was born in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, and moved to Florida when he was 12 to work with a private coach.

”I feel in tennis we don’t say much about it, but this is just tennis,” Rojer said. ”We deal with real life issues out there.”

Rojer and his doubles partner, Horia Tecau of Romania, won their first title at Flushing Meadows by beating the 11th-seeded Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez 6-4, 6-3 in the final.

During the on-court trophy ceremony in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Rojer spoke about his yellow T-shirt with a black-and-white image of the Statue of Liberty and red, white and blue stripes across the chest. He said it’s part of a clothing line made by a friend of his.

”The idea came after the tragic incident in Charlottesville, and we came up with this line, promoting peace and freedom and liberty,” Rojer said. ”Hopefully we’re moving in that direction. I’ve been here since I’m 12 years old and I’m happy they let me in and I got to do my job here. So hopefully we will create those opportunities for everybody.”

Tecau said that professional athletes should feel free to state their political views.

”It’s nice to send this message and spread it, because you have a lot of people that look up to you. Jules is an outspoken guy. You know, he’ll talk more than other players, but I think as role models for the generations that are behind us, the young generation, it’s important to see that, as well,” Tecau said. ”We’re not just athletes competing, you know, for Slams and prize money and glory.”

Added Rojer, who was an All-American tennis player at UCLA: ”It’s important that everybody do their job or do their part, and that’s how you make either change or progress, because we do it. And maybe I change five people’s minds, you know. It’s a step in the right direction. … But we all have a platform and we have to be conscious of our actions and respectful of each other.”

This is the second Grand Slam title for the 12th-seeded Tecau and Rojer, who also won Wimbledon in 2015.

They are currently on a 10-match winning streak, including a victory over top-seeded Henri Kontinen and John Peers in the U.S. Open semifinals.

”It’s tough when you get to these matches. Tension, expectations, everything around. People start calling you. Messages. But you just try to stay focused (on) one more match,” Tecau said. ”That’s what we did so well towards the end of the tournament. Pushed each other to stay focused one more match and to execute.”

NEW YORK (AP) Mets captain David Wright is still hoping to return to the major leagues even after surgery Tuesday to fix the rotator cuff in his right shoulder, the latest obstacle in the 34-year-old’s lengthy comeback attempt.

Wright was at Citi Field with his right arm in a sling Thursday night while New York hosted the Cincinnati Reds. He expressed optimism about playing next season, although he’s waiting to see how his throwing arm feels following the operation.

”Let’s see how my body responds to the surgery and we’ll kind of go from there,” Wright said. ”I still feel that there’s something that I have to give.”

Wright last played in the majors in May 2016 and had surgery the following month to repair a herniated disc in his neck. He was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in 2015 and appeared in only 75 regular-season games between 2015 and ’16, plus 14 postseason appearances.

The seven-time All-Star spent the majority of this year rehabbing at the club’s spring training complex in Florida, eventually playing in three games for Class A St. Lucie in late August before being shut down with pain in his throwing shoulder.

”I just couldn’t play. I couldn’t throw,” Wright said. ”We tried the rehab. It just didn’t work, so after that comes, `What can we do surgically to fix this?”’

Wright may have needed the surgery even if he wasn’t still eyeing a comeback. He said that without it, he may not have been able to play catch with his kids.

”At some point, I’m going to want to be able to utilize my right arm in a normal way on kind of a daily basis and this, hopefully, corrects all of that,” Wright said.

Wright has three years and $47 million remaining on an eight-year contract with the Mets, but he understands that New York may look elsewhere for an everyday third baseman over the winter. Wright acknowledged he hasn’t ”exactly been able to be counted on these last couple years” and said he would respect the team’s decision to seek a long-term solution at the position.

”From day one this organization, this fan base and this city’s really taken great care of me,” he said. ”And if it’s time for them to make a personnel decision or a position change or whatever the case may be, they’ve been so good to me that I want to do whatever’s best for them.”

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

(STATS) – Nick DeLuca has worked hard to put himself in position to play a full game once again. Now, he might have to wait a little bit longer.

North Dakota State’s star linebacker is considered questionable for Saturday’s showdown with No. 7 Eastern Washington after suffering a knee injury in practice this week, according to NDSU assistant athletic director for communications Ryan Perreault. He added that DeLuca’s injury did not involve the anterior cruciate ligament and his status is still being evaluated.

Coming off a 2015 season in which he earned All-MVFC first-team honors, DeLuca had to watch the final 11 games last season because of a torn labrum he suffered in the season opener at the Fargodome against Charleston Southern. The 6-foot-3, 248-pounder underwent surgery after playing through the injury against EWU and Iowa, and he eased his way back last week by playing 15-20 snaps during the second-ranked Bison’s 72-7 win over Mississippi Valley State.

After receiving another year due to hardship, DeLuca was expected to play in a full game for the first time in almost a year Saturday.

Bryant runs 5 yards for a Nebraska Touchdown.

TAMPA BAY RAYS PRESS RELEASE

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — With Hurricane Irma causing severe weather conditions throughout Florida, Major League Baseball has moved the three-game series between the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees from Tropicana Field to Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. As originally scheduled, the series will be played Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Rays will be considered the home team and will bat last.

Watch the Tampa Bay Rays on FOX Sports Sun

“After much consideration, our games against the Yankees will be moved to Citi Field as Hurricane Irma approaches Florida,” said Rays President Brian Auld. “We are grateful to the Mets for opening their doors to us. We are most concerned with the safety of our fans, our families, friends and neighbors.”

Fans holding tickets to Rays-Yankees games at Tropicana Field should check raysbaseball.com/irma and all social media channels in coming days for information on exchanging their tickets or receiving a refund.

Information on purchasing tickets to these games at Citi Field, as well as media credentials, will be announced later.

Television broadcast information will be announced soon by FOX Sports Sun. All three games will air on the radio on WDAE 620 AM and in Spanish on WGES 680 AM.

The Yankees-Rays series schedule:Monday, September 11 7:10 p.m.Tuesday, September 12 7:10 p.m.Wednesday, September 13 1:10 p.m.

This will be the third time that Rays games have been affected by hurricanes. In 2004, Hurricane Frances caused the postponement of two home games vs. the Detroit Tigers (September 4-5), later made up as a doubleheader. On September 17, 2000, the Rays home game vs. the Oakland Athletics was postponed and never made up due to Hurricane Gordon.

This is believed to be only the fifth time in the history of Major League Baseball that weather concerns have required the relocation of games to a neutral site. Just last week, Tropicana Field hosted a three-game series between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros, due to the devastation in Houston caused by Hurricane Harvey. It previously happened September 14-15, 2008 (Chicago Cubs at Houston Astros, two games held at Miller Park in Milwaukee) due to Hurricane Ike, April 10-12, 2007 (Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland Indians, three games at Miller Park) due to snow and September 13-14, 2004 (Montreal Expos at Florida Marlins, two games at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago) due to Hurricane Ivan.

Check out all the best action from the opening round of the Walker Cup.

MINNEAPOLIS — When Adrian Peterson wore purple, the revered running back was naturally off limits for Minnesota’s defense during practice.

Such will be the strange sight in Minnesota on Monday night, when Peterson lines up in the New Orleans backfield with his white, black and gold Saints jersey and his old friends eagerly eyeing him up from the other side.

“Everson Griffen. Without a doubt,” Peterson said, predicting the Vikings player most interested in making contact with the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.

“He’s my boy, but we went back and forth in practice a lot, and he talks a lot of trash. I’m kind of quiet. I don’t say much. But he’ll be amped up to try to hit me.”

Griffen will have plenty of help, when the Vikings host Peterson and the Saints in a season opener overflowing with made-for-TV story lines.

“I’m not going to back down from him,” Rhodes said. “He told me that we’re going to see how that ends.”

How Peterson’s remarkable career concludes remains a mystery, though at age 32 it’s clearly in the twilight stage regardless of his freak-of-nature physical condition and lifelong spirit of determination.

He’ll start with the Saints as a part-time player, with the established Mark Ingram and the rookie Alvin Kamara sharing the carries and catches out of the backfield in this Drew Brees-led, pass-first offense.

“I think it’ll be an adjustment for a couple weeks going in, because I’m used to being in there at all times,” Peterson said, adding: “I knew what I was getting myself into. I know there’s going to be times when I carry the load and there’s going to be times when the load is not as heavy, you know?”

After Peterson was limited to 72 yards on 37 carries by a right knee injury and a leaky offensive line last season, the Vikings predictably declined the $18 million option on his contract and signed free agent Latavius Murray from Oakland instead.

Then they drafted Dalvin Cook out of Florida State. Peterson eventually picked the Saints for the opportunity to play close to his east Texas roots and suburban Houston home and behind the 10-time Pro Bowler Brees.

While Peterson will be plenty motivated in his return to Minnesota against a Vikings team not cool with him stealing their show, the prime-time kickoff and national TV audience for the start to another season will ultimately steer the emotions of the participants on both sides.

Brees led the NFL in passing yards for a record seventh time in 2016. In five games against the Vikings, he’s 4-1 with a 69 percent completion rate and an average of 294 yards passing per game. He has only thrown four interceptions and been sacked four times.

“He’s got an unbelievable arm, too, but one of the things that sets him apart, I think, is he’s so quick getting rid of the football, knowing where to go to the different spots,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “He really is a Hall of Fame kind of quarterback.”

CENTER OF ATTENTION

The Vikings have a long history of excellence at the center position, dating to the arrival of eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame member Mick Tingelhoff in the franchise’s second season. Tingelhoff (six), Jeff Christy (two) and Matt Birk (six) combined for 14 selections for the Pro Bowl. Now third-round draft pick Pat Elflein will be the first rookie to start at center since Tingelhoff in 1962.

“You don’t want to stress yourself out and freak out and make it bigger than it is,” Elflein said. “Be excited, but don’t overexcite yourself.”

SLOW STARTS

The Saints have finished 7-9 after starting 1-3 in each of the past three seasons. They’ve lost three straight openers.

FORMER COLLEAGUES

Payton and Zimmer were once assistants together on the staff of coach Bill Parcells with the Dallas Cowboys, and both of them continue to call Parcells often for advice in their current role.

“He is a heck of a coach, smart,” Zimmer said. “We got a chance to go against each other every day at practice. He was very innovative.”

SITTING OUT

Brees will be without wide receiver Willie Snead, who’s suspended for the first three games. Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford will miss wide receiver Michael Floyd, who is facing a four-game suspension. Both punishments are for drunken driving offenses.

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Saints have won four straight in series, starting with NFC championship game after 2009 season. . . . RB Adrian Peterson makes Saints debut after 10 seasons and 11,747 yards rushing with Vikings. . . . Saints coach Sean Payton and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer were both assistants on Cowboys staff from 2003-05. . . . Saints QB Drew Brees 4-1 vs. Vikings, with 12 TD passes, four interceptions, four sacks, 69 percent completion rate and average of 294 yards passing per game. . . . Saints DE Cameron Jordan, son of former Vikings TE Steve Jordan, coming off fifth straight season with 7 sacks or more. . . . Saints have lost three consecutive season openers, starting 1-3 and finishing 7-9 each season. . . . Brees first player to lead NFL in passing yards seven times, with 5,208 last season that rank as fourth-most in history. . . . Saints could have new starters in more than half of defensive lineup, with free agents DE Alex Okafor and LB A.J. Klein and draft picks CB Marshon Lattimore and FS Marcus Williams the headline acquisitions. . . . With Peterson departed, rookie Dalvin Cook will start at RB for Vikings. . . . Pat Elflein will be first rookie to start at center for Vikings since Pro Football Hall of Fame member Mick Tingelhoff in 1962. . . . Vikings DE Everson Griffen has 30 sacks since 2014, fifth-most in league during that span. . . . Former Vikings WR Randy Moss, one of ESPN’s broadcast analysts, will be inducted in franchise’s Ring of Honor with halftime ceremony. . . . Fantasy Tip: With Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes likely matched with Saints WR Michael Thomas, Saints TE Coby Fleener and Saints WR Ted Ginn could be good plays with young Vikings CBs Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander in elevated roles this season.

As if there is any doubt given his fistful of Super Bowl rings, Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL.

In the first of the weekly Associated Press position rankings for this season, Brady easily came out on top in voting by Pro Football Hall of Famer James Lofton and 10 AP football writers.

The New England star and four-time Super Bowl MVP still shines brightest even as he turns 40 – and despite struggling in the Patriots’ 42-27 opening loss to Kansas City. Brady received eight of the first-place votes in balloting before Thursday night’s game in a 10-points-to-one-point system, and he placed second with the other three voters for 107 points.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers was next at 94 points, getting three first-place choices and being second best on seven ballots, third on one.

Drew Brees of the Saints was third, followed by 2016 league MVP Matt Ryan of the Falcons and Seattle’s Russell Wilson.

—

EDITOR’S NOTE – The Associated Press is ranking the top 10 players at a different position every week of the NFL season, based on the votes and insights of Pro Football Hall of Famer James Lofton and AP football writers Simmi Buttar, Dave Campbell, Schuyler Dixon, Josh Dubow, Howard Fendrich, Rob Maaddi, Arnie Stapleton, Teresa M. Walker, Dennis Waszak Jr., and Barry Wilner. This feature will move on Fridays.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Royce Freeman runs 2 yards for an Oregon Touchdown

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) Regardless of rookie Mitchell Trubisky’s inexperience, Chicago Bears coach John Fox has full confidence his backup quarterback can play effectively for starter Mike Glennon if needed Sunday in the opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

The ”it factor,” is one good reason.

Fox said Friday he saw leadership abilities in Trubisky after only a brief time, leading to a decision this week to designate the former North Carolina star as the backup to Glennon ahead of veteran Mark Sanchez.

”So I think very early on for us as coaches, I think we saw the tenacity with which he goes about it and the maturity with which he prepares,” Fox said. ”And then there’s just a kind of an `it factor,’ in how you relate to people around you and how people feed off you, that I think was pretty evident early, too.”

The Bears have touted their depth as being dramatically improved, and this goes for the quarterback position.

”We joke about next man up, but I’d feel pretty confident about Mitch playing in any game,” Fox said. ”You know, I want everybody to stay healthy though, let’s make that fact very clear.”

Trubisky wasn’t downplaying his ability to lead, or even the `it factor’ Fox says he has.

”Yeah, I kind of feel that,” Trubisky said. ”I guess it’s just how you carry yourself and how you respect your teammates, and in return they respect you as well.

”So I just go out there and give everything I got. I think my teammates know that and I think they know that I have a lot of love for them and I love playing this game.”

Fox earlier this week said Trubisky earned the promotion to backup rather than serving as a third-string developmental project like the team originally announced.

”I feel like I did,” Trubisky said. ”I worked really hard. I played pretty well in the preseason games and just continue to work and show that I’m prepared for this step in my career right now.”

Being a backup isn’t entirely an unknown feeling for Trubisky, the second pick in this year’s draft. He did it at North Carolina before becoming starter.

”I think you can take from that experience, preparing as a starter at all times and then just being ready to come off the bench at any given moment and be ready to play and help your team,” Trubisky said.

Trubisky credited part of his success to Sanchez.

”On and off the field, in the film room, (he’s) always making me better, constantly in my ear and being aware of the situation and totally honed into the game and to the task at hand,” Trubisky said.

Trubisky spent the week getting very few play repetitions in practice with starters, and sometimes ran the scout team.

When he arrived in Chicago, Trubisky felt like a bit of an outsider, as any new player might. That’s no longer the case.

”Yeah, it’s probably 180 (degrees),” Trubisky said. ”You just come in here as a stranger and now you feel like one of the guys and you’re really a part of this team that’s slowly becoming a close family.”

It’s been this way with Chicago fans, as well. All the No. 10 jerseys being worn at Soldier Field in preseason made this evident.

”Yeah, I’ve seen them,” Trubisky said. ”It feels pretty cool.”

NOTES

Guard Kyle Long (ankle) and linebacker Pernell McPhee (knee) go into Sunday’s game as questionable on the injury report after practicing Friday on a limited basis. … Wide receiver Markus Wheaton (finger) is questionable, but downplayed his chances of playing Sunday because he has just begun to catch passes after surgery on his pinky finger. … Cornerback Prince Amukamara (ankle) missed practice all week and is doubtful after suffering an injury early in the third preseason game. If unable to play, Amukamara will be replaced by Kyle Fuller. … Running back Ka’Deem Carey and quarterback Connor Shaw were waived from injured reserve.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — No. 10 Florida State canceled its home game Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe because of impending Hurricane Irma.

The cancellation Thursday night came after Florida Gov. Rick Scott ordered all state colleges and universities closed through Monday in order to support shelter and emergency relief efforts.

The teams do not have open dates on the same week, preventing them from rescheduling the game.

Officials on Wednesday initially moved the start time from 7:30 p.m. to noon.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers tight end Martellus Bennett plans to give his older brother, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, a hug when he sees him this weekend.

Recent events off the field make the high-profile season opener Sunday between Green Bay and Seattle seem trivial by comparison.

Martellus Bennett, who went to high school in Taylor, Texas, has been working to raise money and supplies for residents of flood-ravaged parts of that state. And this week, Michael Bennett released a statement alleging racially motivated excessive force by the Las Vegas police.

“Sometimes, a hug is the best thing you can give,” Martellus Bennett said as his voice started cracking. He talks to his brother several times a week.

“Two seconds this way, two seconds that way, the whole thing is different,” he added. “So for me, I’ll just be happy to see my brother.”

Once the game kicks off, the Bennett brothers probably won’t have to face each other on the field. But the matchup between Seattle’s tough-as-nails defense and Green Bay’s potent offense should be intriguing.

The Seahawks have added tackle Sheldon Richardson in a trade from the New York Jets to a star-studded defense that also has All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner, safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman.

Bennett is making his debut for the Packers, the latest inviting target for two-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The game could be much more competitive than the teams’ last meeting in December, when Thomas missed the 38-10 loss to Green Bay in December because of a broken leg.

“You remember the score? Because I don’t,” defensive end Cliff Avril said. “I just think watching the film you’ve got to make the corrections, understand what worked for them, and you’ve got to understand they might try and do that again.”

Other notes and things to watch ahead of Sunday’s game:

EARL IS BACK: Thomas appears to be fully recovered from the injury that sidelined him late last season. The free safety is such a key cog in Seattle because of an ability to cover so much ground in the defensive backfield. The 66-yard touchdown pass that Packers receiver Davante Adams had last year against Seattle might not have occurred if Thomas was on the field.

“Absolutely, that’s a big difference,” Packers wideout Jordy Nelson said. “He’s smart the way he can read things. The ground that he can cover makes a big difference for what they do in the back end.”

READING RODGERS: Few quarterbacks are better than Rodgers at sensing pressure in the pocket. Throw in the solid protection Rodgers receives from his starting offensive line, along with his knack for maneuvering out of trouble, and the Seahawks will be hard-pressed to get to the quarterback, even with all their talent on defense.

“He might even laugh at you after he throws a bomb after you miss a sack. He’s definitely pretty calm back there. Those are the guys you get frustrated with,” Avril said.

SPLITTING CARRIES: Seattle would like to see Thomas Rawls be the primary ball carrier and Eddie Lacy as a complement. But Rawls is still trying to get fully healthy after being slowed late in the preseason by a high-ankle injury, meaning Lacy could be the No. 1 back in his return to Green Bay. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he would be fine with that scenario and said Lacy can handle 20 to 25 carries in a game.

“He’s had a great run with us getting to this point. He’s done everything we have asked of him, for weeks and weeks now,” Carroll said.

REPLACING LACY: Taking Lacy’s place in the Packers’ backfield is Ty Montgomery, the converted receiver going into his first full season as a running back. The running game got off to a slow start in the preseason, but picked up toward the end of August. The Packers also like the potential Montgomery’s rookie backups, Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones, showed in the preseason.

“Ty Montgomery is our starting running back, so his development is over. It’s time to go win games,” coach Mike McCarthy said.

NATIONAL ANTHEM: Michael Bennett has been a leader of the national anthem protests started by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Asked if he would sit for the anthem before this week’s game, Martellus Bennett said, “Not at this point. I’m just processing everything. Me, I like to speak through my art. My words and things like that.”

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Seahawks coach Pete Carroll 7-4 in kickoff weekend games, including 4-3 with Seattle. . . . Russell Wilson tied with Atlanta’s Matt Ryan for most wins in QB’s first five seasons (56). . . . WR Doug Baldwin has played in 72 straight games, fourth-longest active streak among receivers. . . . Baldwin’s 94 catches tied Bobby Engram’s single-season franchise record last year. . . . RB Eddie Lacy makes Seattle debut after spending first four seasons with Packers, including two 1,000-yard campaigns. . . . All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner’s NFL-high 167 tackles last year set franchise record. . . . LB K.J. Wright set career highs in tackles (126) and sacks (4). . . . Loss last season to Packers ended NFL-record 95 straight games of not losing by more than 10 points by Seattle. . . . Teams are only NFC squads to make playoffs last five seasons. . . . Seahawks DE Michael Bennett is older brother of Packers TE Martellus Bennett. . . . Green Bay opens season at home for first time since 2012. . . . Packers 3-0 at home against Seahawks with Aaron Rodgers as starting QB. . . . Rodgers led NFL with 40 TD passes and had franchise-record sixth season of 4,000 yards passing. . . . WR Jordy Nelson led NFL with 14 TD catches, while WR Davante Adams tied for second with 12. . . . Bennett makes Packers debut after catching at least 50 passes last four seasons, won Super Bowl with Patriots last season. . . . LB Nick Perry led team with career-high 11 sacks in 2016. . . . Fantasy Tip: Bennett has developed chemistry in camp with Rodgers. At 6-foot-6, Bennett offers kind of athletic target in red zone Packers haven’t had at tight end since Jermichael Finley.

The NHL season is around the corner, but you can whet your appetite by watching the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets square off at the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich.

Those who get FOX Sports North can watch the game on FOX Sports GO. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m.

Click here to watch.

The Wild rallied beat the St. Louis Blues in their tournament-opening game on Friday, 6-5. Down 5-1 in the third period, Minnesota scored five unanswered goals to beat the Blues. Former first-round pick Luke Kunin had two goals, including the game-winner with 1:02 left to play.

Kunin and Joel Eriksson Ek headline the roster that features many of the Wild’s top prospects.

Other games for the Wild, which will also be on FSGO, will be played Monday vs. the Stars at 2:30 p.m and at some point on Tuesday. The time and opponent for Tuesday’s matchup will be determined by the standings after three games.

Retiring at the end of the season, the sport’s most popular driver is one of several racers whose only hope for getting into the 10-race playoffs that begin next weekend is by winning Saturday night at Richmond Raceway.

But even Earnhardt seems to realize the likelihood of his 27th career victory – and fourth on the 0.75-mile oval – isn’t high. It has been 62 races since his last victory, at Phoenix in November 2015, and he said Friday after practice that he has what feels like ”a sixth- to 12th-place car.”

He added: ”If we could come out of here with a win, it would be quite the surprise, not only for all you guys, but us included.”

Earnhardt’s laid-back attitude contrasts greatly with those of other drivers in his same shoes.

Joey Logano, for example, won the Cup race here in April, but then became the first driver to have a race ”encumbered,” NASCAR parlance for being allowed to keep the victory, but without the playoff points or the automatic berth in the postseason because of an infraction discovered after the race.

He has struggled ever since.

”We are in a do-or-die situation,” Logano said. ”Anytime you can win a race in that situation, there is no better feeling than that. Also returning here after our win in the spring and obviously the drama that followed, it would be very nice to be able to get back in victory lane and prove a point. I don’t see any reason why we can’t.”

Logano, who was second to Jimmie Johnson in the final standings last season, also likes the way his team is approaching the challenge.

”This is a time that shows your true character,” he said. ”You can be either down on yourself and be beat before you show up to the race track or show up here ready to go and have the right attitude and confidence that we are going to win. That is where the team feels like they are at. I am proud I am with a team like that.”

Other drivers needing to win to qualify for the playoffs include Clint Bowyer and rookies Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. The three non-winners ahead of them, and thus most vulnerable to being knocked out of the postseason by a first-time winner, are rookie Chase Elliott, Jamie McMuray and 2003 series champion Matt Kenseth.

”Really I’m still thinking about trying to get that win,” Kenseth said when asked how much attention he or his team will pay to where Elliott and McMurray are running in the race. ”Yeah, I mean, we want to get in, but if you win, you’re in for sure, so I don’t think you’re going to pay much attention. Maybe at the end of the race you pay a little bit of attention who is leading, where those two guys are, but I think we just run our own race.”

Jones expects to do the same, though he’s confident there will be anxiety before the green flag.

”I’ve honestly felt just really locked in all week. I’ve felt like I’ve just been really excited to get here and get on track and get qualifying done and get the race going,” he said. ”… I’m sure once the race rolls around here tomorrow night the nerves will be high and we’ll be itching to go and get things out of the way.”

Jones’ team has been among the most consistent in recent weeks, finishing in the top five in the last three races and in the top 10 in each of the last five.

He’d had just one top-five in the first 22 races of the year.

”You know, we just need to keep running the way we’ve been running, and that win is going to come,” he said.

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More AP racing: http://racing.ap.org

HOUSTON (AP) The first thing J.J. Watt brought back to his adopted hometown after Hurricane Harvey was $28 million in contributions.

But when the Houston Texans play their NFL opener in NRG Stadium, he and his teammates hope to deliver one of those iconic sports moments that live on after the flood waters have receded. Like other American communities laid low by tragedy, the return of games can provide one small important step on the road to recovery.

Watt says Houston players are going to do what they can to put smiles on fans’ faces. That’s what happened when the 2006 New Orleans Saints gave fans a temporary respite from rebuilding the city, when 9-11 first responders cheered for the 2001 Yankees and when football returned after the Virginia Tech shooting.

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) Josh Doctson has heard the question for more than a year, everyone wanting to know when the Washington Redskins’ 2016 first-round draft pick would be able to contribute.

Well, the answer could be this weekend.

A sore Achilles tendon ruined Doctson’s rookie season and a hamstring injury limited him during training camp this summer. But after a full week of practice, the second-year wide receiver said he will play in the season opener when the Redskins host the Philadelphia Eagles.

”I’m just trying to maintain so I can be ready for Sunday,” said a soft-spoken Doctson, who avoided reporters for weeks when he was injured and only relented Wednesday for a brief interview.

Last year’s health woes took a mental toll on the former TCU star as he appeared in just two games and practiced rarely. Doctson visited one specialist after another, never got an answer about what caused his persistent Achilles tendon soreness and was placed on injured reserve Oct. 21 as only months of rest seemed to have a positive effect.

Now Washington is about to find out just what they have in Doctson.

At 6-foot-2, 206 pounds, he showed flashes of brilliance during offseason workouts and training camp practices, drawing praise from teammates for his route running, his strong hands and 40-inch vertical leap that lets him beat defenders even when covered well.

”We just need him out there for him to be able to show what he can do and really make a difference for our team and for our offense,” Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said. ”I’m excited for that – just like I’m sure the fan base is – to see what he’s got in the tank.”

Save for a 57-yard catch against Dallas in Week 2 last season, Doctson hasn’t proven anything yet. And Washington doesn’t have the luxury of giving him a learning curve in 2017 after veteran receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon left via free agency.

It was the first time in NFL history a team has lost two 1,000-yard receivers in the same offseason and puts immediate pressure on Doctson to stay healthy and produce. Asked about the Redskins’ receivers, Philadelphia safety Malcolm Jenkins mentioned free agent acquisition Terrelle Pryor, tight end Jordan Reed and slot receiver Jamison Crowder.

”The jury is still out,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said.

Doctson missed the preseason opener with a hamstring injury and was held out of the third and fourth exhibition games with hamstring and groin tightness. His entire preseason consisted of 18 snaps and one catch in an Aug. 19 game vs. Green Bay, which scrounged up ugly memories of the loneliness and isolation of his rookie year.

Teammates who have been through long injury recoveries sensed Doctson’s trepidation. Redskins running back Chris Thompson broke his back and tore the ACL in his left knee in college at Florida State and tore the labrum in his left shoulder as a rookie with Washington in 2013 but has since recovered to play in 29 of the past 32 games.

”Maybe at certain times this year early on he was feeling good,” Thompson said. ”But you still don’t forget about it. You’re still nervous even though you know everything is fixed. Josh has worked for a long time, and he’s not thinking about being hurt anymore and we’ve been able to see the type of player he is.”

Crowder is questionable with a hip injury, and if he doesn’t play Sunday it could open up more playing time for Doctson along with Pryor, Ryan Grant and Brian Quick.

”I’m just excited,” Doctson said. ”But you can’t make it bigger than it is.”

NOTES: Gruden said Grant would start if Crowder doesn’t play against the Eagles. … Along with Crowder, C Spencer Long (knee) and LB Ryan Anderson (neck stinger) are questionable.

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More AP NFL: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

CINCINNATI (AP) The Bengals signed linebacker Vontaze Burfict to a three-year contract extension Thursday as he began his latest NFL suspension for egregious conduct on the field.

Burfict’s contract was up at the end of this season. The new deal runs through the 2020 season.

Burfict is the Bengals’ top defensive player. He’s also been its most suspended player over the last two seasons, twice punished by the NFL for his on-field conduct. His hit to Antonio Brown’s head helped the Steelers rally for an 18-16 playoff win during the 2015 season and drew a three-game suspension to start last season.

His latest suspension came for leveling Kansas City Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman during the second preseason game. The league cited his history of egregious hits in handing out the current penalty, which was reduced from five games to three on appeal.

Burfict had a history of personal fouls at Arizona State that factored into every NFL team passing on him in the 2012 draft. The Bengals signed him as a free agent and have steadfastly supported him despite his troubles. He’s been a key playmaker on coach Marvin Lewis’ defense with 582 tackles, seven sacks, five interceptions, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in his first five seasons.

He also has been one of the league’s most-frequently fined – eight times – players and been suspended twice for questionable hits. The Bengals announced the extension after the media availability ended on Thursday. Lewis said in a statement that Burfict ”is still one of the young, emerging talents within the league.”

”It was important to reach an extension before the start of the season, and we look forward to having Vontaze back with the team in a few weeks,” Lewis said.

Cornerback Adam ”Pacman” Jones also is suspended by the NFL for Cincinnati’s home opener on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium. Jones was convicted of a misdemeanor in the offseason related to an altercation at a downtown hotel. Jones also was part of Cincinnati’s meltdown in the 2015 playoff game against the Steelers, drawing a 15-yard personal foul penalty that helped set up the winning field goal.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

New York City FC will look to extend its five-game unbeaten streak when it hosts the Portland Timbers on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

NYCFC (15-7-5) is 4-0-1 in its last five games after knocking off Sporting Kansas City 1-0 in the 84th minute on Wednesday. New York City FC is unbeaten in 10 consecutive home league games (8-0-2) and are approaching the franchise regular season-best mark of 11 games (9-0-2), set between June 18, 2016, and April 1, 2017.

Saturday’s match features the top two goal scorers in the league. NYCFC’s David Villa owns 19 goals while Portland’s Diego Valeri comes in with 16 strikes.

NYCFC trails Eastern Division-leading Toronto FC by six points (56-50) for the best record in MLS.

“Were honestly not too focused on the Supporters Shield,” NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson told MLS.com. “I think we’re taking every game as it comes. If we take care of business and do what we have to do for the next seven games, we’ll put ourselves in a really good position come the end of the year.”

The Timbers (11-9-8) are enjoying a three-game run (2-0-1) and are in a battle for supremacy in the Western Conference. Only five points separate FC Dallas (37), who is in sixth place, from the leader, the Seattle Sounders (42). Portland is just one point back from the Sounders.

The Timbers haven’t played since a 1-1 draw with Seattle on August 27th.

“We’re starting to hit our stride a little bit,” Portland coach Caleb Porter told reporters after the Seattle match. “We’re closing out games, we’re defending better and we’ve always been a good attacking team, all year. So, I like the balance of the team and I like the mentality.”

NYCFC leads MLS with 62 yellow cards this year.

Portland’s Sebastian Blanco is second in MLS with 51 fouls conceded.

It was the worst case scenario for the Los Angeles Rams heading into the season. Then again, it could have been a lot worse.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald has called an end to his holdout with the team reporting on Saturday during the team’s walk-thru. After having a physical with the team, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year and the Rams are seeking a roster exemption to add the player to the active roster.

pic.twitter.com/f5lmXNeAS1

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 9, 2017

Despite the end to the holdout, Donald will not play in the Rams’ opener at the Colts and the team has said terms have not been reached on a new contract as of yet.

Drafted No. 13 overall by the Rams in 2014, Donald recorded 28 sacks in his first three seasons with the team while being named to the Pro Bowl three times and the NFL All-First Team twice. The defensive tackle sat out all of the preseason in pursuit of a new contract. Donald is currently in the fourth year of his five-year rookie contract making a base salary of $1.8 million this season.

Two clubs struggling to hold on to slim playoff hopes square off Saturday night as Minnesota United FC hosts the Philadelphia Union at TCF Bank Stadium. Both clubs are one notch above the bottom spot in their respective conference tables.

Minnesota (7-14-4, 25 points) is just three points ahead of bottom-dweller Colorado in the Western Conference, while Philadelphia (8-12-7, 31 points) is tied with Orlando City, three points ahead of DC United in the Eastern Conference.

Minnesota is coming off the first road win in the club’s MLS history, a 2-1 defeat of the Chicago Fire. Rookie forward Abu Danladi played a big role in the win, moving up from the midfield to the forward spot to fill in for injured striker Christian Ramirez, who is likely to miss this week’s match as well. Danladi scored both Loons’ goals.

Duluth-born midfielder Ethan Finlay will make his first home match for Minnesota United. Finlay played at TCF Bank Stadium with Columbus Crew SC earlier in the season in a match Crew SC won 1-0. Finlay already found success with his new club, notching a goal and two assists in his first two matches.

The Loons have been respectable at home, going 6-6-2 in 14 matches. That bodes well against the Union, who are just 1-8-4 on the road this season.

Minnesota head coach Adrian Heath believes his club is starting to jell.

“I just think that it’s a time thing,” he said. “I’ve said this on numerous occasions this season: putting so many players and pieces together in a very short period of time, they’re getting to know each other a little bit more.

“I just think we’re better now than we were at the beginning of the season. No disrespect, but I think we’ve got a better group than we had at the beginning of the season. And I think that’s shown in performances and results.”

Philadelphia hopes that past success against expansion clubs will continue. In the first meeting between the Union and a new expansion side, the Union holds an all-time 3-1-2 record, including a 3-0-1 stretch in the last four meetings.

“It’s more about us, defending well and defending as a team,” Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake said.

Philadelphia will be without Alejandro Bedoya, who will serve a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation, and Joshua Yaro, who is out with a red card suspension.

In their absence, the Union may look to rookie Jack Elliott. The fourth-round pick from West Virginia logged 1,992 minutes this season, the most by any Union defender and third-most by a Philadelphia outfield player. Elliott recorded a goal or an assist in two of his last three matches.

It was the worst case scenario for the Los Angeles Rams heading into the season. Then again, it could have been a lot worse.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald has called an end to his holdout with the team reporting on Saturday during the team’s walk-thru. After having a physical with the team, the former Defensive Rookie of the Year and the Rams are seeking a roster exemption to add the player to the active roster.

pic.twitter.com/f5lmXNeAS1

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 9, 2017

Despite the end to the holdout, Donald will not play in the Rams’ opener at the Colts and the team has said terms have not been reached on a new contract as of yet.

Drafted No. 13 overall by the Rams in 2014, Donald recorded 28 sacks in his first three seasons with the team while being named to the Pro Bowl three times and the NFL All-First Team twice. The defensive tackle sat out all of the preseason in pursuit of a new contract. Donald is currently in the fourth year of his five-year rookie contract making a base salary of $1.8 million this season.

A look at what’s happening all around the major Friday:

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STREAKING SNAKES

The Diamondbacks can stretch their club-record winning streak to 14 games when they open a series against the Padres. The run includes six victories over the NL West-leading Dodgers, and Arizona even led for 97 consecutive innings – the second longest span in the majors since 1900 – before the Dodgers scored first on Wednesday night. Patrick Corbin (13-11, 3.83 ERA) has a pair of victories during this streak, and he’ll seek another against San Diego’s Jordan Lyles (0-2, 6.71).

TO THE MAX

Max Scherzer hasn’t lost a start since June 21, and he’ll go for another victory when the Nationals host the Phillies. Scherzer (13-5, 2.19) is 5-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his past 11 starts, including five effective innings versus Milwaukee last time out before exiting with a bruised calf after being struck by a line drive.

FEELING FINE?

Chris Archer (9-8, 3.76) is set to return after throwing just eight pitches in his previous outing before exiting with forearm tightness. The Rays right-hander gets a tough draw in the Red Sox and left-hander Drew Pomeranz (14-5, 3.36), who lost last time out against the Yankees to end a 14-start unbeaten stretch.

COME ON IN

The Braves are offering free tickets to fans from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina displaced by Hurricane Irma. During a four-game series against the Marlins which began Thursday night, the Braves will give a complimentary ticket to anyone showing a valid Florida ID. The offer also is open to residents of Georgia and South Carolina counties under mandatory evacuation orders. Braves president of business Derek Schiller says he hopes the offer ”can help take their mind off the storm for a few hours.”

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired former star Kevin Stevens as a special assignment scout.

The 52-year-old Stevens was a three-time All-Star during his 15-year career with five teams, including eight with the Penguins. Stevens helped Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. His 17 goals during the 1991 playoffs remain a franchise record.

Stevens will be based in Boston and will scout amateurs and college free agents for Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford.

Stevens was sentenced to probation and fined $10,000 in May after pleading guilty to a federal drug charge.

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For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey

MIAMI (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says the Miami Dolphins have evacuated South Florida before the arrival of Hurricane Irma and will practice in Oxnard, California, next week to prepare for their delayed start of the season.

The person confirmed the Dolphins’ practice plans to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the team hasn’t publicly disclosed them.

The person said team owner Stephen Ross flew players, coaches, traveling staff and their families to Los Angeles on Friday as the hurricane approached Florida. Other players who had already left the state in advance of Irma are also arriving in Los Angeles.

The person said the Dolphins will have a team meeting Tuesday and will practice beginning Wednesday at the Dallas Cowboys’ complex in Oxnard.

Hurricane Harvey delayed the head coaching debut of Major Applewhite at the University of Houston.

Now, while the massive cleanup continues at home, the Cougars open their season Saturday night at Arizona.

The Cougars canceled their season opener at UTSA last weekend as the city of Houston and surrounding areas faced catastrophic flooding.

“I felt like if we’re going to play this game, we’re not doing what’s right,” Applewhite said at the time. “We tell these kids all the time that we’re a family. You don’t do what’s right and the kids say, `Coach, what about your family or my family?'”

This week, Applewhite quickly emphasized to his players, many of whom had to deal with damage to their families’ homes, that it was time to get back to football.

“You don’t move on, but you have to compartmentalize,” he said. “That’s one thing we kept talking about last week. We have to compartmentalize what is and what we have to do. That’s a great lesson for us to learn.”

As of Friday, Applewhite hadn’t announced whether Kyle Postma or Kyle Allen would start at quarterback. Postma was the backup to Greg Ward and played considerably in the Cougars’ past two successful seasons. Allen is a former Texas A&M starter and big-time high school recruit who sat out last season as a redshirt.

The coaching change at Houston made it difficult for the Wildcats to prepare for Saturday night’s game.

“We don’t know exactly what they’re going to do because it is their first game with a new staff,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. “There’s a lot of unsure things in our minds about that.”

The Wildcats (1-0) opened their season last Saturday with a 62-24 rout of FCS school Northern Arizona.

Arizona rolled up 595 yards against the Lumberjacks, but this will be the first true test of Rodriguez’s young team.

Here are some things to consider when the Cougars face the Wildcats.

ALLEN’S CONNECTION: Allen has a strong Arizona connection. After a standout career at Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale, he was one of the most highly sought prep players in the country in 2013. He chose Texas A&M over a host of offers that included Alabama, Notre Dame and, yes, even Arizona.

He threw for 3,532 yards and 33 touchdowns with 14 interceptions in two seasons with the Aggies but announced in January 2016 that he would transfer to Houston.

AFFECTED COUGARS: Applewhite said there were 10 to 15 players who were directly affected by the damage inflicted by Harvey. But the overall impact hit the whole team.

“It’s affected all of them to some extent because of teammates, even ones that don’t live in Houston or have family in Houston,” Applewhite said, “They still are housing teammates who have lost apartments or homes.”

It was an abrupt test of Applewhite’s leadership, too.

“There are a lot of things that come up in a head coach’s career,” Rodriguez said. “It kind of came up early in Major’s head-coaching career. But it seems like they’ve done a great job of not only staying focused on what they need to do but also helping the community, which certainly needs it.”

RUNNING WILDCATS: Arizona rushed for 505 yards against Northern Arizona and spread the wealth around. No one topped 100 yards.

YOUNG ARIZONA: The Wildcats will send one of the youngest teams in a Power 5 conference into Saturday night’s game.

Forty-eight players on the Arizona roster are in their first or second year in the program.

The Wildcats played 23 freshmen against Northern Arizona, including 13 true freshmen. Three true freshmen started on defense.

HELPING OUT: The University of Arizona filled two equipment trucks with donated goods to help with relief in Houston.

The university said nearly 70,000 pounds of relief goods filled the two big trucks. The school said Friday that while it could not accept more donations, people were urged to contribute through the Red Cross.

The young Wolverines (2-0) are far from savvy, leading to a relative letdown against Cincinnati after opening the season with an impressive victory over then-No. 17 Florida.

Ty Isaac ran for a career-high 133 yards and Wilton Speight threw for two touchdowns to help No. 8 Michigan overcome a sluggish performance to pull away and beat the Bearcats 36-14 on Saturday.

The Wolverines led by just three points early in the second half and were booed until getting the fans behind them again by scoring 19 straight points to turn a closely contested game into a lopsided one.

“We had the feeling coming out of this game that we stopped ourselves,” Harbaugh said.

The Bearcats (1-1) had the same feeling, failing to take advantage of Michigan’s many mistakes and making some miscues of their own to spoil an upset bid.

“Our ability to finish is a stress for our program,” said Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell, a former Ohio State interim coach, assistant and player. “That’s the thing that hurts, and really leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

THE TAKEAWAY:

CINCINNATI: The Bearcats should come away encouraged that they had a chance to win a game in which they were five-touchdown underdogs, but they are lamenting missed opportunities against a major program after struggling to beat Austin Peay .

“When you get an opportunity to take advantage of a game, and it just slips right out of your hands, it hurts,” Cincinnati defensive tackle Cortez Broughton said. “Once we get that opportunity again, I’m pretty sure it’s going to end differently.”

MICHIGAN: The Wolverines were humbled a week after beating Florida 33-17 and found out they have a lot of work to do.

Wake-up call?

“It could be,” Isaac said.

UP IN THE AIR:

Cincinnati’s Hayden Moore was 15 of 40 for 132 yards with a TD pass to Kahlil Lewis that cut Michigan’s lead to 17-14 in the third quarter and capped a 10-play, 85-yard drive. Moore had some passes dropped, including by Lewis inside the Michigan 10 when trailing by 10 points early in the fourth quarter. He also had some errant throws, two of which were intercepted and returned for scores by Tyree Kinnel in the first quarter and Lavert Hill late in the fourth.

Speight completed 17 of 29 passes for 221 yards. He had TD passes to Kekoa Crawford early in the game and to Grant Perry in the third that gave Michigan a 10-point cushion. Speight also sailed some passes over intended receivers and in front of them.

“I get a little sloppy with my feet, which causes my ball to sail or to go low,” he said.

The quarterback avoided throwing an interception a week after throwing two against Florida, but the Wolverines turned the ball over twice and had seven penalties for 68 yards. Speight was charged with a fumble when he tried to hand the ball off. Michigan’s other fumble happened on a punt return.

RUSHING REPORT:

Michigan’s defense didn’t appear to be as dominant as it was against the Gators, but did limit the Bearcats to an average of 2.3 yards per carry, forcing them to throw a lot more than Moore appeared to be capable of doing successfully. Isaac started a week after backing up Chris Evans and took advantage, following up his 114-yard performance with another impressive game.

“He keeps ascending,” Harbaugh said.

Isaac pushed Evans to the sideline for much of the afternoon as Karan Higdon was the team’s primary backup at running back.

SECOND CHANCE:

Perry was reinstated a month ago after pleading guilty to resisting a police officer and misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with an October confrontation outside an East Lansing bar.

“I’m very happy to be on the team,” Perry said. “It’s a blessing.”

UP NEXT:

CINCINNATI: The Bearcats stay on the road to face Miami of Ohio on Saturday night.

MICHIGAN: The Wolverines will get a chance to work on many problems in practice before hosting Air Force on Saturday afternoon.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers open a must-win series Friday with their pitcher most likely to win on the mound.

Left-hander Martin Perez (11-10, 4.87 ERA) has been one of the keys to the Rangers’ resurgence in the wild-card playoff picture. Perez has matched a career high by winning his past six starts heading into his outing against the New York Yankees.

The Rangers will need Perez and the rest of the Rangers to be at full strength. The Friday game starts a huge homestretch for Texas that includes series against the Yankees, the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels, all teams that are fighting for the two American League wild-card berths.

Texas manager Jeff Banister has no doubt his team club be ready to get the homestand started on a big note.

“Our guys continue to stay engaged, continue to battle,” said Banister, whose team comes into the series following a Thursday off day after splitting a doubleheader in Atlanta on Wednesday. “It’s a challenge. I feel like our guys are playing well. We’ll get ready for New York on Friday.”

Perez hasn’t backed into any wins during his current hot streak. He has a 3.15 ERA in that span, which has allowed him to drop his overall ERA by more than half a run. He already has set a career high for wins.

Perez will have to buck a limited history against the Yankees to become the first Texas pitcher to win seven straight starts since Kenny Rogers in 2005. Perez has faced the Yankees twice, going 1-1 with a whopping 12.86 ERA. In his last start against New York in 2015, he retired only three batters.

The Yankees counter with right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (11-10, 4.54 ERA). Like Perez, Tanaka is on a roll. He has won three consecutive starts, pitching seven innings in each and allowing a total of five runs. One of his best starts this year came against Texas on June 23, when he struck out nine over eight scoreless innings in a no-decision.

In three career starts against Texas, Tanaka is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

Tanaka will have a lineup behind him that is at full strength. The Yankees are coming off a series win against Baltimore after losing 11 straight series to the Orioles at Camden Yards. New York will have catcher Gary Sanchez back in the lineup, too, as he is returning from a three-game suspension for his part in a brawl at Detroit on Aug. 24.

“We’ve been playing our ballgame,” Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge told Newsday after New York’s 9-1 victory over Baltimore on Thursday. “Just kind of passing the baton, getting those clutch hits with runners on.”

That approach has worked recently as New York has scored 22 runs in its last three games.

Judge hit his 39th home run of the season Thursday, tying him with Oakland’s Khris Davis for the American League lead. It was Judge’s second home run in four games after he went 15 contests without one.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Although nearly a full decade has passed, Stanford’s victory over Southern California in 2007 still seems downright preposterous.

The 0-3 Cardinal entered the Coliseum as 41-point underdogs and ended the Trojans’ 35-game home winning streak with one of the most incredible upsets in college football history, 24-23. Stanford has largely controlled the century-long series between California’s private school powers ever since, winning eight of the last 11 meetings.

”I like to call that game the beginning of our program,” said Stanford coach David Shaw, who was Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator when backup quarterback Tavita Pritchard led the Cardinal past Pete Carroll’s powerhouse.

When No. 14 Stanford (1-0) returns to the Coliseum on Saturday night to resume its season after a trip to Australia, the sixth-ranked Trojans (1-0) will have a 10-game winning streak and their annual hype as the preseason Pac-12 favorite.

But no result is an upset in this rivalry anymore. The past decade of struggle in this matchup still hangs over the Trojans, who pay the proper respect to Stanford’s transformation.

”We know how good they are at every level of the game,” USC receiver Deontay Burnett said. ”I commend that defensive secondary, and Stanford is just a great university and a great program.”

Here are more things to watch in USC’s visit from its oldest rival:

EARLY BELL: This rivalry matchup has also become the unofficial start of the Pac-12 season, since both schools’ series with Notre Dame essentially requires them to play an early-season conference game against each other. So while Stanford only had its blowout Down Under win over Rice to prepare, USC had only a week to work on the gaping holes in its run defense exposed by Western Michigan in the Trojans’ season-opening victory over the defending MAC champions.

RUN AWAY: The Cardinal are a stern test for any run defense, and Bryce Love’s 180 yards rushing in the season opener proved he can be a capable replacement for Christian McCaffrey, who torched the Trojans for 172 of Stanford’s 302 yards on the ground in this rivalry last season. The Trojans yielded 263 yards on the ground to Western Michigan, but improved after halftime when linebacker Cam Smith returned from a 30-minute suspension. Their run defense was expected to be a strength, but the Trojans must find their defensive groove quickly against the Cardinal, whose power running sets should allow the Trojans to use their base defense more often.

RUNNING ANSWER: The Trojans also could answer Stanford’s running game with their own ground attack built around Ronald Jones II, who kicked off his junior season with an outstanding 159-yard, three-touchdown performance against Western Michigan. Jones added muscle to his frame in the offseason, and it showed in the durability compounding his usual speed. Freshman Stephen Carr also will be ready to contribute after getting 69 yards and two TDs in the opener.

PASSING FANCIES: Keller Chryst passed for 253 yards and didn’t make a turnover in Stanford’s season opener, but the Trojans’ secondary and pass-rush present more challenges in his second game back from knee surgery. Chryst also will get receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside back from injury. Both quarterbacks are getting their first good looks at their rivals this weekend: Chryst didn’t face USC last season, while Sam Darnold only played as Max Browne’s backup against Stanford.

SAM HE IS: Darnold didn’t throw a touchdown pass in the opener for the first time during USC’s winning streak, but he also improved as the game wore on. The touted junior attributed his slow start to a case of nerves from his first season opener as the Trojans’ No. 1 quarterback, but his teammates and coaches are confident he’s over it now. ”If there’s one person that’s always harder on himself than anyone, it’s Sam Darnold,” USC coach Clay Helton said. ”And that’s one of the reasons I love him.”

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More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

Sporting took a 2-0 lead with goals by Sebastian Coates in the 62nd and Bruno Fernandes in the 64th, but the hosts equalized with Joao Silva in the 69th and Etebo in the 80th.

The late victory left Sporting two points in front of defending champion Benfica, which edged Portimonense 2-1 after the referee used video review to annul an 88th-minute equalizer for the visitors.

Sporting is three points in front of FC Porto, which hosts Chaves on Saturday.

Porto is the only other team to have won all of its matches.

CHICAGO — Hernan Perez homered and drove in five runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers pounded the Chicago Cubs 15-2 on Saturday.

Chase Anderson pitched five scoreless innings as Milwaukee pulled within three games of NL Central-leading Chicago. Anderson also helped himself with two hits and two RBIs hours after the Brewers announced Jimmy Nelson has a shoulder injury that will sideline the right-hander for the rest of the season.

Milwaukee broke it open with eight runs in the third against Mike Montgomery (5-8) and reliever Justin Grimm. Travis Shaw and Orlando Arcia each hit a two-run double, Ryan Braun scored on a balk by Grimm, and Perez had a sacrifice fly.

Kyle Schwarber’s solo shot in the eighth ended Milwaukee’s bid for a second straight shutout. Leonys Martin added an RBI double in the ninth, but Chicago finished with just six hits.

Anderson (9-3) retired his first 10 batters before walking Kris Bryant with one out in the fourth. Ben Zobrist singled with two down for Chicago’s only hit off Anderson, but Albert Almora Jr. grounded out to end the inning.

Perez made it 11-0 with a two-run drive down the left-field line in the fifth. It was his 14th homer of the season.

Montgomery struggled with his control, issuing four of Chicago’s nine walks. The left-hander was charged with four runs and two hits in two-plus innings while subbing for Jake Arrieta, who is out with a right hamstring strain.

BAD NEWS

Nelson jammed his shoulder while diving back to first during Milwaukee’s 2-0 win on Friday night. Nelson, who is 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA, has a strained right rotator cuff strain and partial anterior labrum tear.

General manager David Stearns said he does not know if surgery is needed. Manager Craig Counsell said he didn’t yet know who would fill Nelson’s spot in the rotation.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: C Willson Contreras (strained right hamstring) was scheduled to rejoin the team in Chicago after serving as the designated hitter for Class A Myrtle Beach on Friday. Manager Joe Maddon said he wasn’t sure when Contreras, who has been out since Aug. 9, would return to the lineup. … SS Addison Russell (plantar fasciitis in the right foot) ran and tossed a football on the field for a second straight day and said he is slowly improving.

UP NEXT

Milwaukee right-hander Zach Davies (16-8, 3.77 ERA) faces Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks (6-4, 3.29 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday. Davies is 9-4 with a 2.37 ERA over his last 14 starts. Hendricks is 2-0 with a 2.21 ERA in his last three.

Notes, tidbits and stats heading for Saturday’s game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Florida Atlantic Owls at Camp Randall Stadium:

— This is the first meeting between Wisconsin and Florida Atlantic.

— Wisconsin has won 38 straight non-conference games played at home, the sixth-longest streak in FBS modern era (since 1946). A win would tie Ole Miss (1947-68) for the fifth-longest streak.

— Florida Atlantic, which has had a football program since 2001, is 0-17 against teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25.

— Wisconsin quarterbacks haven’t thrown an interception in seven straight games, the longest such streak since at least 2000. The previous high was six games in 2011.

— Under Paul Chryst, Wisconsin is 15-3 when scoring first (0-0 in 2017), 7-3 when the opponent scores first (1-0 in 2017), 12-3 when leading after the first quarter (0-0 in 2017), 3-2 when trailing after the first quarter (1-0 in 2017), 19-2 when leading at halftime (0-0 in 2017), 2-4 when trailing at halftime (0-0 in 2017), 18-2 when leading after the third quarter (1-0 in 2017) and 3-3 when trailing after the third quarter (0-0 in 2017).

— Troy Fumagalli needs 67 to pass Tom McCauley for 20th place, 81 to pass Michael Jones for 19th place and 136 to pass Mel Reddick for 18th place on UW’s all-time list.

— Gaglianone needs one 50+-yard field goal to join Taylor Mehlhaff and Philip Welch as the only to have three FGs from 50+ in Wisconsin history (Mehlhaff 52, 51, 51; Welch 57, 52, 50; Gaglianone 51, 50).

Just a point out of playoff contention in the MLS Western Conference, the San Jose Earthquakes are the latest team trying to be the first to take full points on the road from Toronto FC as they take on the MLS Supporters’ Shield leaders on Saturday at BMO Field.

Toronto has more than made the most of its home-field advantage since it last lost in the MLS Cup Final in December. So far this season, Toronto has played 13 times on the shores of Lake Ontario and only dropped points three times, all of those draws.

But overcoming tough odds is something San Jose (10-11-6) achieved before against Toronto. Last season, the Earthquakes had two-men sent off and still rallied for a 2-1 win.

That was at home and this will be a whole different beast altogether.

“You do your homework for every game, so you study as much as you can, so we’re looking at Toronto just like we have every other team,” said goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell.

“We’re focusing on their good players and what we can do to stop them, and that’s what we’ve been working on this week.”

For Toronto, it’s simple – continue the momentum it had heading into the international break.

Toronto is boasting a nine-game unbeaten run, including winning its last three to keep up the pace to beat the 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy’s 68-point season that stands as the best regular-season record in MLS history. With seven games remaining, Toronto (16-3-8) stands at 56 points, so it’s well within reach.

“We’re not taking anybody lightly,” said U.S. international midfielder and Toronto FC captain Michael Bradley. “We’re not expecting to walk on the field and have anything handed to us. That doesn’t mean you play perfectly every weekend.”

Toronto’s come through the international break in good condition with no new injuries. Only Benoit Cheyrou (calf) and Nick Hagglund (knee) remain out while goalkeeper Clint Irwin (fingers) is questionable.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) Devlin Hodges threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns, Kelvin McKnight had 136 yards receiving and two scores, and Samford held off Division II West Alabama 49-41 on Thursday night.

Samford (2-0) had a 28-point lead midway through the third quarter, but West Alabama (1-1) scored 21 straight points to pull to 42-35 with 8:11 remaining.

Samford’s Darius Harvey intercepted Harry Satterwhite’s hurried pass and returned it 23 yards for a score to extend the Bulldogs’ lead to 49-35. West Alabama answered to make it 49-41 with 2:08 remaining and elected to kick it into the end zone. After six Samford plays, the Tigers got the ball back at their 6 with seven seconds left but Satterwhite’s heave to Donta Armstrong didn’t go past midfield as time expired.

Armstrong scored on a 57-yard punt return in the first half and he had 54- and 62-yard touchdowns receptions in the third quarter. At the start of the fourth, Armstrong found Barnard McGhee on a wide-receiver pass for a 63-yard TD.

Armstrong finished with 316 all-purpose yards and four scores, and Satterwhite threw for 401 yards for the Tigers.

Samford built a 14-0 lead in the first six minutes. Defensive back Omari Williams returned an interception 63 yards on West Alabama’s first offensive possession. On Samford’s next offensive play, Hodges connected with Andrew Harris for a 57-yard score.

Tom Brady didn’t get things started on a strong note for the growing group of graybeard quarterbacks when the Chiefs spoiled the Patriots’ latest Super Bowl celebration with a big comeback of their own Thursday night in the NFL opener.

Few doubt Brady will bounce back from that stunning 42-27 loss with another stellar season, however.

At 40, Brady says he’s more efficient in his training than when he was in his 20s.

”I think it’s a lot easier for me now than it’s ever been,” he said. ”I feel like my routine’s better than it’s ever been. When you’re younger you don’t know what to do, and after 17 years, going on my 18th year I know what to do. I know how to prepare.”

Brady is the elder statesman of starting QBs , seven of whom are 35 or older for the first time ever.

Brady is joined by Drew Brees (38), Josh McCown (38), Carson Palmer (37), Eli Manning (36), Ben Roethlisberger (35) and Philip Rivers (35) in the club of QBs who have circled the sun 35 times or more.

Quarterbacks are delaying retirement while making more money, eating better, working out year-round and benefiting from rule changes that have resulted in fewer hits and less wear and tear on their bodies. Bolstering veterans’ value is the paucity of QBs running the pro-style system in college.

”It starts with better conditioning and nutrition,” said Hall of Famer and ex-general manager Bill Polian. ”As a people we’re living longer and being more productive.”

The spate of rule changes over the last two decades that fed the offensive explosion is bearing fruit now that quarterbacks are elongating their peak performance years and prolonging their careers.

”Back in the day, those quarterbacks, you could just come down on their shoulders, you could do all those types of things,” said coach-turned-broadcaster Rex Ryan. ”And you know I think the league has nipped that and taken away some of those unnecessary shots that guys have taken and that probably shortened careers quite a bit.”

Rivers is preparing to face the Denver Broncos on Monday night for the 24th time as he begins his 14th NFL season.

”First, I’m very thankful. I feel like I’ve been blessed to be healthy enough to continue to go out there each and every year as long as I have,” Rivers said. ”I think certainly the rules set up to help you a little bit, no question as far as where that target area is, it’s not as vast as it used to be as far as the hits you used to take.

”And I’m still excited about doing it. I’m still fired up to come in here and prepare for the Broncos and prepare for a season, to go to training camp and all those things.”

That’s what drives all QBs, that internal fire, whatever its fuel.

”The seven that we could name, they all love it and have a great passion for it,” Rivers said. ”Not that the guys in the past didn’t. I don’t mean that. But, shoot, some guys are ready to be done at 35, 36, and some just enjoy it so much they don’t want to put it down.”

On the other end are the greenhorn quarterbacks coming out of college and having to adjust on the fly to the pro style schemes after operating in the spread going back to high school, or even Pop Warner.

Broncos general manager John Elway moved up in the draft last year to select Paxton Lynch out of Memphis. But he’s been beaten out two summers in a row by 2015 seventh-rounder Trevor Siemian, a heady Northwestern grad who benefited from his year under Peyton Manning’s tutelage and made a quicker transition from the spread.

”There’s always been a dearth of quarterbacks,” Polian said. ”And we survived the wishbone era, which couldn’t have been more disparate compared to what was done in the NFL. So, we’ll survive the spread – and at least they’re throwing the ball, so they develop stronger arms and, ostensibly, a little bit better accuracy than wishbone guys did.”

Elements of the spread dot the NFL landscape, but as a whole, it’s unsustainable against the bigger, stronger, faster defenders in the pros.

”I think there’s always some of it that comes in anytime you’re involved in the passing game,” said Polian. ”Whether or not the play-calling via cards would make any sense, I have no opinion on. The no-huddle predated the spread, so that’s not an issue. But the one thing I’m sure of is that there are no old running quarterbacks in the National Football League.

”So, the idea of the read-option, once a guy sustains his first injury, i.e. RG3,” Polian added about Robert Griffin III, ”that sort of goes by the board. I don’t think that’s coming into professional football as a steady diet anytime soon.”

The ones that do adjust and can thrive have an ever-increasing lifetime expectancy in the NFL. Just ask them.

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) USA Basketball will have many former Olympians at its women’s national team training camp at the end of the month.

Thirty players have accepted invitations to participate in the camp that will take place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Santa Barbara, California and be led by Dawn Staley, who was announced as the U.S. women’s coach in March.

The group includes 10 players who have won at least one Olympic gold medal, including four-time winners Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. Other members of the 2016 Olympic team who accepted invitations include Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus, Tina Charles, Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart.

There are some players, including past Olympians Candace Parker and Angel McCoughtry, who declined invitations to the camp because of injuries or other commitments. They still are eligible to play in the 2018 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics.

Five current college players, who were All-Americans last season were also invited to attend the camp – Louisville junior Asia Durr, UConn juniors Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson, Ohio State senior Kelsey Mitchell and South Carolina senior A’ja Wilson.

The Camp overlaps with the WNBA Finals so players still competing in that won’t attend.

Following two disappointing outings with the US mens national team, Christian Pulisic returned to don the yellow and black of Borussia Dortmund against newly promoted Freiburg on Saturday.

Despite returning to his unbeaten Dortmund side, Pulisic suffered more frustration as his side were unable to break down last seasons Bundesliga 2 champions despite being up a man for much of the match.

Frieburg’s Yoric Ravet was sent off following an incident on Dortmund captain Marcel Schmelzer. Ravet was initially shown a yellow card for a rough challenge but after going to video assistant referee for clarification it was deemed Ravet exposed his studs in the tackle prompting a straight red card.

With a full hour of the match to go, Dortmund’s attack was thwarted at every turn though with Pulisic and forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missing solid chances.

The draw ends Dortmund’s perfect start to the Bundesliga campaign with the Germans heading to London during midweek to take on Tottenham in the opening match of their Champions League campaign.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Brian Lewerke scored on a 61-yard run in the first quarter, and Michigan State’s defense was impressive for a second straight week in a 28-14 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday.

Lewerke added another touchdown on a quarterback sneak and also threw for a TD on a day when the Spartans (2-0) didn’t need to do much offensively. Michigan State has allowed only three touchdowns in two games this year. Two of them came on fumble returns and the other on a kickoff return.

The Broncos (0-2) looked like a dangerous opponent after rushing for 263 yards in a season-opening loss to Southern California, but the Spartans contained WMU’s running backs. The only touchdowns for the Broncos came courtesy of Darius Phillips, on a 67-yard fumble return in the third and a 100-yard kick return in the fourth.

Lewerke opened the scoring with the longest touchdown run by a Michigan State quarterback since 1973. A fake handoff helped open up the middle of the field, and the sophomore was able to outrun the secondary for a 7-0 lead.

“I saw the defense open up,” Lewerke said. “I was surprised I made it all the way to the end zone. I thought I was going to get caught from behind.”

Lewerke threw a 15-yard scoring pass to LJ Scott in the second quarter.

Phillips ripped the ball away from Hunter Rison and ran it all the way back to the end zone to make it 14-7, but Michigan State responded with a 75-yard scoring drive that included a 46-yard run by Darrell Stewart and Lewerke’s 1-yard touchdown.

Scott scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth, but Phillips took the ensuing kickoff all the way back to make it 28-14.

The last time a Michigan State quarterback had a longer scoring run than Lewerke’s was in 1973, when Charlie Baggett had a 69-yarder against Purdue.

THE TAKEAWAY

WMU: The Broncos were competitive enough against USC that it looked like they might not slip that much after going unbeaten in the regular season in 2016, even though they lost coach P.J. Fleck and a couple offensive standouts from that team. The game against Michigan State was less encouraging. WMU couldn’t get its running game going, and the passing game wasn’t ready to pick up the slack.

“We need to have some shared adversity,” coach Tim Lester said. “It’s a good thing.”

Michigan State: After beating Bowling Green 35-10 in their opener, the Spartans added another win against a Mid-American Conference school. There will be tougher challenges to come, but the defense has been a bright spot so far for an inexperienced team coming off a 3-9 season.

UP NEXT

WMU: The Broncos face Idaho next Saturday night in their home opener.

Michigan State: The Spartans have an open date before hosting Notre Dame on Sept. 23.

HOUSTON (AP) Texas A&M and law enforcement officials are investigating after football coach Kevin Sumlin received a racist and threatening letter at his home Thursday.

His wife, Charlene Sumlin, posted a picture of the letter, which had a return address in Houston, on Twitter on Thursday night. The handwritten letter read: ”You suck as a coach! You’re a (racial epithet) and can’t win! Please get lost! Or else.”

On the post Charlene added in part: ”how is any part of this OK?”

Later on Thursday night Texas A&M President Michael Young and athletic director Scott Woodward issued a joint statement condemning the letter and adding that they are: ”working with law enforcement authorities to bring the sender of this letter to justice.”

The statement also said: ”There is no excuse for hatred and, as a community. We will not allow the ignorance of some to intimidate any member of our community.”

On Saturday night in Los Angeles, Texas A&M squandered a 34-point third-quarter lead in a season-opening loss to UCLA. The Aggies will host Nicholls State on Saturday night.

The 53-year-old Sumlin has three years and $15 million left on his contract that runs through the 2019 season.

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D.C. United may enter the weekend still in last place in the Eastern Conference standings, but it’s Orlando City SC that will be trying to reverse a spiraling season and overcome acute adversity on Saturday night.

The Lions (8-12-7, 31 points) haven’t won since the final day of June, a stretch of eight matches that sent them plummeting from a fourth-place position down to 10th, just one spot and three points above D.C. United.

Making matters worse, midfielder Will Johnson was arrested on domestic battery charges early Wednesday morning. And with Hurricane Irma bearing down on Florida, Orlando may not even be able to return home after its match with D.C.

“I think we’re just taking it day by day,” Lions coach Jason Kreis told the Orlando Sentinel. “I don’t think there’s any decisions made, but obviously our next game is in Atlanta, so there could be a situation where we would just go straight to Atlanta, but we’ll sort that out as we go.”

If Orlando doesn’t return home, it will have to go a whole week before facing Atlanta United on Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, D.C. is entering the game on a three-match winning streak. All those wins came by a 1-0 score, giving the Black-and-Red (8-15-4, 28 points) their longest stretch of shutouts in league play in 10 years, according to the Washington Post.

There is still room for improvement on the offensive end, where D.C. benefitted from a pair of own goals in two of those wins. Luciano Acosta, with five goals, remains the only player on the roster who contributed more scoring to D.C.’s offensive cause than their three own goals received.

That said, United’s offense looked dangerous — if not clinical — in its 1-0 victory two weekends ago against the same New England side that hammered Orlando 4-0 last weekend. And that’s enough to give coach Ben Olsen hope that his team can close the eight-point gap to get above the playoff line.

“It’s certainly a huge task ahead,” he told reporters Tuesday. “We’ve got to win a bunch of games. But it’s doable, and we’ve seen it before in this league. And the mentality is, ‘Why not us?'”

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) Defensive end Ziggy Ansah is one of three Detroit players listed as questionable for the Lions’ season opener against Arizona on Sunday.

Ansah has been dealing with knee problems and did not come off the physically unable to perform list until after the team had finished its preseason schedule. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay and tackle Corey Robinson are also listed as questionable because of ankle and foot issues.

Detroit will be without tackle Taylor Decker, who went on the reserve/PUP list last weekend, and suspended defensive linemen Armonty Bryant and Khyri Thornton. Defensive lineman Kerry Hyder went on injured reserve after an Achilles tendon injury in the first preseason game.

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Trace McSorley's 3 touchdown passes help lead Penn State to a 33-14 home win over Pittsburgh.

Oakland Raiders linebacker Nicholas Morrow played in front of only a few hundred fans at Division III Greenville College.

That’s a far cry from the atmosphere Morrow will face Sunday in his NFL debut when the Raiders visit Tennessee in front of a crowd of about 70,000.

”It’s always been a dream to play in the NFL,” Morrow said. ”I hope I just go play and don’t worry about the crowd and all that. It will be crazy.”

Morrow made an immediate impression on the Raiders with his speed and versatility to become the first player ever from Greenville, a small Christian school in Illinois.

Morrow isn’t the only player to go from the obscurity of Division III football to the NFL in less than a year. San Francisco safety Lorenzo Jerome made the team after a successful training camp and could be a key contributor for the 49ers.

”Everyone is proud of me. They want me to stay level-headed,” Jerome said. ”I have a big chip on my shoulder coming from a small school.”

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REFINING HIS TECHNIQUE: Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter is on the verge of becoming one of the league’s latest star pass rushers, with 18+ sacks over his first two seasons . The 6-foot-5, 250-pound product of LSU is a long, fast and strong prototype for his position, with plenty of room left for development.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has been working with Hunter to home in on more consistent placement of his hands on his opponents, to keep his height from working against him. Leg muscles produce more power, for one. Standing straight up also makes a player easier to block.

”There are times when he wants to raise up and start to peek to see what the play is going to be, instead of coming off low and defeating his man,” Zimmer said. ”It happens a lot with tall guys.”

”When he first came in here, he was kind of a raw talent,” Robison said. ”It was one of those deals where you knew he had a lot of potential, it was just going to be how quick he could grasp the game, but he is a smart kid. He takes notes every day. He goes in there, and you can definitely tell he is applying it on the field. He is understanding situations, understanding different formations that the offense is throwing at him, and he’s being able to recognize those things faster.”

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STATMUSE: Want to ask a statistical question and have it answered by an NFL player? StatMuse, which does natural language processing for sports, has launched a first app enabling fans to interact with sports stars.

With the voice app, fans can ask about scores, stats and more, and hear the answers straight from players.

So an Atlanta fan can ask, ”When do the Falcons play next?” and will hear in response: ”This is Devonta Freeman . Yes, it’s really me. The Atlanta Falcons play the Chicago Bears next Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.”

The company has a partnership with the NFL Players Association, secured through the OneTeam Collective, which is designed to give companies the opportunity to be affiliated with the union’s group player rights.

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SPEEDBALL: Bengals rookie receiver John Ross set a 40-yard dash record in the NFL combine. Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton leads the majors in stolen bases. They finally got together on the field this week before a Reds game against the Brewers.

Ross threw a ceremonial pitch to Hamilton – straight but low – and the two chatted briefly. Ross had never thrown a first pitch and would have liked a chance to warm up.

”I asked them: Can I get a practice throw? They said yes, but it never happened,” Ross said. ”So I was a little nervous when I got there, but it went better than I thought.”

When the Bengals drafted Ross in the first round, Hamilton said he’d like to race him. That’s not going to happen, given how teams are worried about players getting hurt. Ross plans to chat with Hamilton at some point and talk about how they use their speed in their different games.

Also, Ross would like a favor: There wasn’t time for Hamilton to sign the ball after their pitch.

”I wanted to get Billy to sign it,” he said. ”I still might. I think that would be cool, put it up in my house.”

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MAKING FRIENDS – AND COFFEE: As he heads into his second NFL season, Dak Prescott is making sure he is surrounded by friends. Well-caffeinated friends.

The 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year gifted teammates and Dallas Cowboys staffers 176 boxes of Keurig REVV Coffee, and 100 Keurig K-Select brewers, a device that only launched this week. Clearly, Prescott has connections.

The quarterback also gifted travel mugs and T-shirts.

Players often hand out such gifts at the end of the schedule, but Prescott got a jump on this season.

He posted on Instagram a message to the Cowboys, which in part read: ”4dakGifts for my team. Let’s (hash)GetREVVedUp for the season.”

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ATLANTA (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton has hit his major league-leading 54th home run of the season to give the Miami Marlins an early lead over the Atlanta Braves.

After being given a day off on Friday, Stanton hit the homer off rookie left-hander Max Fried in the first inning on Saturday night. The ball would have traveled 456 feet unimpeded, according to MLB Statcast, and landed deep into the left-center seats.

.@Giancarlo818 crushes a Max Fried pitch for HR No. 54 on the year. Watch the @Marlins take on the Brave on FOX Sports Florida! #LetsGoFish pic.twitter.com/vsMPr8Cphq

— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) September 9, 2017

Stanton has six homers against the Braves this season. His 54 homers are 15 more than Yankees rookie Aaron Judge and Oakland’s Khris Davis, who were tied for second.

The previous Marlins record was 42 homers by Gary Sheffield in 1996.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Twins’ Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead runs off ailing Kansas City closer Kelvin Herrera with two outs in the ninth inning, and Minnesota rallied to beat the Royals 4-2 on Thursday night.

Herrera, who has been dealing with a mild forearm strain, inherited a 2-1 lead before giving up a pair of singles and a walk. Brian Dozier hit a tying sacrifice fly, and after Joe Mauer was walked intentionally, Polanco lined a single up the middle for the lead.

Trevor Hildenberger (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless eighth in relief of Twins starter Kyle Gibson, while Matt Belisle handled a perfect ninth to pick up his sixth save.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) When the Oakland Raiders open the regular season in Tennessee on Sunday, rookie Marquel Lee will become the team’s fifth starting middle linebacker in five years.

That hardly suggests stability for a team coming off its first playoff appearance in nearly 15 years and it’s one of the primary reasons there was so much chatter about the position in the offseason, much of it negative.

Not that Lee, a fifth-round draft pick, seems bothered by it. One of two rookie starters on Oakland’s defense, the former standout at Wake Forest has tried to stay away from the noise and has spent this week focusing on Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.

”I heard it but I don’t really let it get to me,” Lee said. ”I know what I’m here to do. I know my abilities and I know what I can do for this team. I’m trusting that’s going to get me through and help me be a very productive player and a very good player for this team.”

The Raiders certainly hope so.

Middle linebacker has been a weak spot for Oakland’s defense for much of the past decade and there hasn’t been much stability at all since Rolando McClain started three consecutive years from 2010-12.

The problems have manifested in a variety of ways, too, although Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. appears convinced that Lee may be the answer.

”He’s very talented,” Norton said. ”Big body, really smart, cares a lot. And when you combine the care with the passion and the talent, and a guy who really wants to learn, my experience (is) you get a lot of good things from the players.”

Lee had an uneven preseason after being inserted into the starting lineup early in training camp. He made a handful of big plays and showed good potential at times, while at others he looked like a typical rookie trying to adjust to the NFL level.

Now he’s preparing to face the Titans where he figures to get a lot of attention from Mariota.

”He’s been a very versatile player going back to his college days in Oregon,” Lee said. ”They do a lot of things with him, run a zone read and everything. I feel confident in our preparation that we’ll handle it. I’m very excited. It’s my dream. This is what I’ve been wanting to do my whole life.”

Raiders coach Jack Del Rio was equally eager to see what Lee and the rest of Oakland’s oft-criticized defense can do.

”I can’t wait to see our guys play,” Del Rio said. ”We put a lot of time and effort into developing our guys. That’ll remain a story until it’s not. If he’s doing real well, I’m sure you won’t ask about it much. We’ll just let that unfold. It’s a team game. We’ll put our team against their team.”

While Lee will be anchoring the middle of Oakland’s defense, the Raiders are still uncertain about who will be kicking for them. The team signed Georgio Tavecchio to its practice squad Friday as insurance in case Sebastian Janikowski’s troublesome back prevents him from playing in Tennessee.

Janikowski has been limited all week in practice and is questionable.

Notes: Fullback Jamize Olawale (quad) and reserve safety Keith McGill III (foot) have been ruled out. First-round draft pick Gareon Conley (shin) and weakside linebacker Cory James (knee) are also questionable. Max Valles, a sixth-round draft pick by Oakland in 2015, was released from the practice squad to make room for Tavecchio.

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TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Pillar was feeling down after grounding into a triple play Friday night. His performance Saturday helped make up for it.

Pillar had four hits, including a tiebreaking home run, and made another sparkling defensive play in the outfield, Brett Anderson pitched six innings for his first victory with Toronto and the Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4 on Saturday.

Pillar broke a 2-all tie with a leadoff drive against Warwick Saupold (3-2) in the sixth, helping Toronto snap a three-game losing streak against Detroit.

The blast came one inning after Pillar jumped into the center field wall to snare a deep drive by Tigers infielder Dixon Machado.

“He’s obviously pretty special back there,” Anderson said of Pillar.

Besides his 15th homer, Pillar also had an RBI single in the first, an infield single in the fourth, and a single in the seventh. He has hit safely in 27 of his past 34 games and is batting .308 (41 for 133) in that stretch.

The loss ensures the Tigers will not have a winning record for the second time in seven years.

Pillar said it was “maybe an all-time low” when he grounded into a triple play in the sixth inning Friday.

“A guy that can run a little bit, I never envisioned myself hitting into a triple play,” Pillar said.

Helping secure a victory for a Blue Jays team that had lost 15 of its previous 20 helped lift Pillar’s spirits.

“Wins have been hard to come by and playing a part in it is always nice,” he said.

Pillar’s was one of three fine plays in the outfield. Detroit left fielder Andrew Romine made a headlong diving catch on Luke Maile’s liner in the second, and Toronto’s Jose Bautista stranded a runner at third with a sliding, backhanded catch on Nicholas Castellanos’ sinking liner in the sixth.

Making his third start for the Blue Jays, Anderson (3-3) allowed two runs and five hits. The lefty walked none and struck out five.

“He moved the ball in and out,” Tigers DH John Hicks said of Anderson. “His curveball was pretty good, he threw that a lot. Whenever he got in trouble he used it pretty effectively.”

Carlos Ramirez and Dominic Leone each worked one inning and Ryan Tepera held on for his second save in four chances despite giving up two runs in the ninth. Tepera caught Romine looking on a 3-2 pitch to end it, stranding runners at first and third.

“I actually thought we were going to be snatching that one back from them,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said

Tepera got the call in the ninth because closer Roberto Osuna had a stiff neck. Osuna has not pitched since blowing a save against Boston on Tuesday, his 10th blown save this season.

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera returned from suspension with a two-run homer off Anderson in the first, his 15th.

“Typical Miggy fashion,” Ausmus said.

Cabrera had sat out the previous six games for his role in a brawl-filled game against the New York Yankees on Aug. 24.

“That suspension could have lasted a day longer,” Anderson joked. “That wouldn’t have hurt my feelings.”

Toronto answered against Chad Bell in the bottom half on Pillar’s two-out RBI single, which came on the 10th pitch of his at bat.

“That was a good battle there,”Bell said. “I just didn’t execute the changeup. I just left it a little up.”

The Blue Jays tied it in the fourth when Kendrys Morales came home from third while teammate Teoscar Hernandez was involved in a rundown between first and second.

Making his second career start, Bell allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings.

MIGGY’S MILESTONES

Cabrera’s homer was the 461st of his career, tying him with Adrian Beltre for 37th on the career list. The two RBIs give him 1,612, tying him with Goose Goslin for 32nd on the career list.

HOME SWEET HOME

Toronto avoided what would have been its first six-game home losing streak since July 19-24, 2013.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF Mikie Mahtook was scratched from the starting lineup because of a sore left groin. … Detroit reinstated SS Jose Iglesias from the paternity list.

Blue Jays: 3B Josh Donaldson (illness) missed his second straight game. … OF Steve Pearce (lower back) was unavailable. Pearce left Friday’s game after striking out in the first. … Gibbons said 2B Devon Travis (right knee) is not expected to return this season. Travis has been out since June 4.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-3, 7.07) left his previous outing after just five pitches when he was struck on the right calf by a batted ball. He’s 0-2 with a 7.98 ERA in three career starts at Rogers Centre.

Last year’s league rushing leader was already cleared to play in the opener against the New York Giants on Sunday night before the ruling by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.

Mazzant agreed with players’ union lawyers that Elliott didn’t receive a ”fundamentally fair” hearing in his appeal and he granted the NFL Players’ Association request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the league’s punishment.

Elliott was suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell in August after the league concluded he had several physical confrontations last summer with Tiffany Thompson, a former girlfriend. Prosecutors in Ohio didn’t pursue the case, citing conflicting evidence.

The 22-year-old Elliott denied Thompson’s allegations in sworn testimony during an appeal hearing last week. He also attended the hearing for a restraining order earlier this week in Sherman, about 65 miles north of Dallas.

Arbitrator Harold Henderson turned down Elliott’s appeal of the suspension the same day as the hearing in federal court. Henderson ruled that the NFL complied with its personal conduct policy in punishing Elliott and rejected any claims that Elliott’s attorneys presented new evidence at the appeal.

Mazzant ruled that Henderson’s decision not to allow Goodell and Thompson to testify helped Elliott’s case in meeting the standard for an injunction to be issued.

”Their absence effectively deprived Elliott of any chance to have a fundamentally fair hearing,” Mazzant wrote.

The union blasted NFL owners in its reaction to Mazzant’s ruling.

”Commissioner discipline will continue to be a distraction from our game for one reason: because NFL owners have refused to collectively bargain a fair and transparent process that exists in other sports,” the union said. ”This `imposed’ system remains problematic for players and the game, but as the honest and honorable testimony of a few NFL employees recently revealed, it also demonstrates the continued lack of integrity within their own league office.”

After Henderson’s ruling, the NFL filed a lawsuit asking a federal court in New York to enforce Elliott’s suspension. The Southern District of New York falls under the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which last year backed Goodell’s four-game suspension of New England quarterback Tom Brady in the ”Deflategate” case.

The union had sued in federal court on behalf of Elliott last week before Henderson ruled, saying the appeal hearing was ”fundamentally unfair” because the running back was prevented from confronting his accuser in the Ohio case.

NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler reiterated most of the union’s arguments before Mazzant, who pressed league attorney Daniel Nash for answers on the claim from Elliott’s legal team that a co-lead investigator who questioned Thompson’s credibility was left out of a key meeting with Goodell during the yearlong probe.

According to the letter Elliott received informing him of the suspension last month, the NFL believed he used ”physical force” three times in a span of five days in a Columbus, Ohio, apartment last July resulting in injuries to Thompson’s face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, wrists, hips and knees.

Prosecutors in Columbus decided about a year ago not to pursue the case in the city where Elliott starred for Ohio State, but the NFL kept the investigation open. The league said its conclusions were based on photographs, text messages and other electronic evidence.

The NFL stiffened penalties in domestic cases three years after the league was sharply criticized for its handling of the domestic case involving former Baltimore running back Ray Rice.

Elliott rushed for 1,631 yards as a rookie to help the Cowboys to the best record in the NFC at 13-3. He was a full practice participant throughout training camp but played in just one preseason game, same as a year ago when Elliott missed significant time at camp because of a hamstring injury.

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More AP NFL: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Sam Houston State (2-0) had its 30-17 halftime lead trimmed to six points after Dawonya Tucker’s 19-yard rush with 5:59 left in the third quarter. But Jaylen Harris returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a 13-point Sam Houston lead.

Nathan Stewart’s 7-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth extended the Bearkats’ lead to 44-24. But Tre Honshtein ran the kickoff back 65 yards, setting up Tucker’s 15-yard scoring run.

Prairie View recovered the ensuing onside kick with 10:37 remaining but, six plays later, Neiko Hollins fumbled it on a sneak and the Panthers also fumbled it on their final drive.

Stewart had 118 yards receiving with one score, and Davion Davis added 99 yards and two touchdowns for Sam Houston State.

Lavell McCullers, a junior-college transfer, made his debut for Prairie View (0-1). He threw for 165 yards, and rushed 15 times for 124 yards and a score. Tucker had 13 carries for 94 yards and three TDs.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

There will be plenty of postseason implications in play for both Real Salt Lake and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC when the two sides meet on Saturday at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Just seven points separate first-place Seattle and Real Salt Lake in the eighth position in the Western Conference, so there is plenty to be decided over the final two months of the regular season.

Vancouver enters Saturday’s contest in a solid position, unbeaten in its past three matches and 5-2-2 in its last nine MLS contests. The Whitecaps (11-9-5, 38 points in 25 matches) begin the weekend in fourth place but they are just three points ahead of surging Real Salt Lake, with three teams (Houston, FC Dallas and San Jose) in between. Vancouver has games in hand on every team in the West but one.

The Whitecaps head to the weekend with the third-best points per game average in the Western Conference, a crucial stat that will come into play if teams are tied at the end of the season. Vancouver was idle last week because of the international break for World Cup qualifying, and enters Saturday’s match on the strength of a 2-1 win at Orlando City.

Saturday’s contest also begins a four-match homestand for the Whitecaps and is the first of three games in a seven-day stretch for Vancouver.

Vancouver coach Carl Robinson has been forced to juggle his lineup plenty over the past month and will do so again against Real Salt Lake. The Whitecaps are battling injuries, have players returning from international duty (World Cup qualifying) and will be juggling the lineup to deal with the attrition the roster has endured.

“It’s been one thing after another, but that’s why I have a squad — I keep reiterating it’s about squad,” Robinson said. “The perfect example was Orlando two weeks ago, where I made eight changes, and people said I was crazy, or mad, or don’t know what I’m doing. No one gave us a chance, to go into an environment like that and win the game.”

Real Salt Lake (10-13-5, 35 points in 28 matches) is just two points behind FC Dallas for the West’s sixth and final playoff spot. RSL has played the most games in the conference and enters the weekend on a bit of a hot streak after it throttled Colorado 4-1 in its most recent match on Aug. 26, and is 5-1-3 in its past games.

RSL enters Saturday’s contest without any major concerns coming off the international break. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando (U.S) and attackers Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela) and Albert Rusnak (Slovakia) were all with their respective national teams over the last week, but Rimando and Savarino didn’t see any game action and Rusnak played limited minutes. Barring any travel issues, all three should be good to start on Saturday.

RSL used the bye week to rest and fine-tune its strategy and tactics for the stretch run.

“It’s about not dropping off physically but not overly exerting the players, about keeping them mentally focused but getting them rest physically and mentally,” RSL coach Mike Petke said about the off-week, “And then we’ll obviously work on the things we need to work on leading into the Vancouver game.”

Despite having played two games more than the sides they are chasing in the standings, Real Salt Lake still has a solid chance of making waves in the final six matches of the season.

“We have these breaks because we’ve played more games than everybody else,” Petke said, “which puts us outside watching results, which you don’t want to do. But from a physical rest, mental rest (standpoint), yes, I think it has paid dividends.”

How do you follow up leading one of the most epic comebacks in college football, a game in which you threw for four touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone? By throwing for five touchdowns, of course.

Josh Rosen and the UCLA Bruins rolled past the University of Hawaii on Saturday 56-23.

Not looking to exert himself via a huge comeback once again, Rosen led UCLA to scores on the team’s first four possessions including three touchdown passes.

By game’s end, Rosen had completed 22 of 25 passes for 329 yards. Rosen’s five touchdown passes are a career high.

In addition to Rosen’s efforts, UCLA got two scores on the ground from running backs, while Darnay Holmes provided a defensive touchdown with a 30-yard pick-6.

🚨 PICK SIX ALERT 🚨

Watch #UHvsUCLA: https://t.co/YfMNDWtSGW pic.twitter.com/SSU5PWAtSe

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) September 9, 2017

A quick look at the U.S. Open :

LOOKAHEAD TO FRIDAY

Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin del Potro might feel as if it’s a Grand Slam semifinal worthy of a final. Each has won the U.S. Open already – Nadal in 2010 and 2013; del Potro in 2009, when he beat Nadal in the semifinals, then Roger Federer in the final. That, though, was the big-hitting Argentine’s only major championship. Nadal, meanwhile, ranks second in men’s tennis history with 15 Grand Slam trophies. Nadal leads their head-to-head series 8-5, but del Potro won their most recent matchup, on a hard court at the Rio Olympics last year. The other semifinal involves two newcomers: 12th-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain vs. 28th-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa. Neither has played in a major semi, let alone a title match. Carreno Busta has not lost a set in the tournament so far, while Anderson boasts a dangerous serve and has only been broken three times in 87 service games.

15 – Number of years since the last all-American women’s final at the U.S. Open. Two U.S. players, Stephens and Keys, meet for the title Saturday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

”I just don’t want anyone to ever ask me about the `state of American tennis’ ever again.” – Stephens.

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More AP tennis coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The dual subplot of Adrian Peterson making his first appearance for New Orleans and returning to take on his old team in Minnesota has encouraged an extra dose of buildup for this prime-time season opener.

If the Vikings were matched against another opponent, though, Dalvin Cook would undoubtedly be the recipient of a larger share of the publicity. There hasn’t been a rookie debut in Minnesota to create this much anticipation since Peterson himself first put on purple in 2007.

Ten years and two days later, Cook will take his place in the backfield Monday night to begin the process of trying to replace Peterson as the franchise running back when the Vikings host the Saints.

“He did a lot for this organization. With him coming back, I know everybody’s going to be hyped about it, and they’re going to be ready to play, and it’s going to be one of the best games of the year,” Cook said. “We’ve just got to be ready to go, which I know he is.”

Florida State’s career rushing leader in just three seasons, Cook fell to the Vikings in the second round of the draft because of concern about some off-the-field trouble in his past as well as a problem with fumbling.

He has entered the NFL at a decidedly different stage of the league’s evolution than Peterson, with those 30-carries-per-game grinders essentially extinct and many teams seeking the multi-skilled runner, blocker and receiver for a multi-player collective at the position. Their styles are different, with Peterson’s punishing between-the-tackles power and direct path to the contact not to be mistaken for Cook’s patient vision behind the line and outside burst to the open space. The Vikings have changed their blocking scheme, too, from man to zone.

“That’s going to be the key, to stay the course and be me,” Cook said. “Not try stick out and be anybody else. Just be me. Be the best version of me for my team.”

The comparisons to Peterson, the leading rusher in Vikings history, will be sure to follow him at least at the outset of his career.

“The offense that the Vikings are forming now, I feel he will fit in very well. He’s a smaller guy, but he’s tough. I’ve been able to see that about him as well,” Peterson said this week on a conference call with reporters in Minnesota. “I wish him nothing but the best, but Monday night I need him to have negative yards.”

Cook played on a big stage often with the Seminoles, his quiet nature belying a coolness to match the moment.

“Dalvin is a pretty confident player,” coach Mike Zimmer said, “and his skill set has shown the same thing.”

The Vikings have frequently this preseason called Cook a quick study.

“He can do it all, and I think he’s a special player,” fellow running back Latavius Murray said. “He’s grasped the offense very well and fast, and he’s able to go out there and play fast. That’s hard to do for anybody that’s transitioning to the NFL or coming in as a young player.”

Peterson is expected to share the load with Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara. Cook could have more of the carries to himself, but he’s hardly the only option for offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

Murray, whose arrival in free agency after four years with Oakland signaled the end of Peterson’s tenure in Minnesota, topped 1,000 yards rushing for the Raiders in 2015 and tallied 12 touchdowns in 2016. Jerick McKinnon, who will serve as the kickoff returner, has experience and elusiveness.

“It’s all on Pat, so just roll with it,” McKinnon said. “Whoever’s in the game, let’s make some plays.”

Artist, author and former pitcher John D'Acquisto is this week's guest.

It will be an emotional night on Saturday, when the Houston Dynamo return to action against the Colorado Rapids in the first MLS game at BBVA Compass Stadium since Hurricane Harvey ravaged southern Texas.

“Our organization strongly believes in its responsibility to be a community leader in times of need,” Dynamo owner Gabriel Brener said in a statement. “We are here to support people throughout the relief and recovery effort by initiating a number of efforts.”

The Dynamo (10-8-8, 37 points) are in fifth place in the extremely tight Western Conference. Eight teams are within seven points of each other at the top of the Western Conference table.

The Rapids are looking for anything positive to take away from the final months of the season. Colorado (6-16-4, 22 points) enters the weekend in last place in the Western Conference and is still looking for its first road win. The Rapids are 0-11-2 away from home this season.

“We’re going to give everything we possibly can to win that game,” Colorado interim coach Steve Cooke told reporters this week. “And the players need to stand up and be accountable, not just this game, but for the remaining games of the season.”

Houston, on the other hand, is unbeaten at home this season, going 9-0-3.

But the Dynamo may have to shake off some rust Saturday night. Houston hasn’t played since a 3-3 draw with FC Dallas on Aug. 23. The Dynamo’s Aug. 26 home game against Sporting Kansas City had to be rescheduled due to the hurricane and will be played Oct. 11.

“They’ve been really good at home and we know they have some really fast guys up top and a solid team overall,” Colorado defender Axel Sjoberg said of the Dynamo. “We know what they’re kind of about.”

Colorado’s last road win came at BBVA Compass Stadium on Oct. 8, 2016, and the Rapids also beat the Dynamo in the teams’ only other meeting this season.

Marlon Hairston scored twice and Kevin Doyle had a goal for the Rapids in a 3-1 win over Houston on July 1 in Colorado.

Angels Live: Jose Molina talks helping the Angels catchers

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cleveland Indians set a franchise record with their 15th consecutive win Thursday night, beating the Chicago White Sox 11-2 behind another terrific outing for Corey Kluber.

Cleveland also belted five homers while becoming the first major league team with a 15-game winning streak since Oakland won 20 in a row in 2002. Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run drive in the first, Francisco Lindor connected in the second, Erik Gonzalez went deep twice and Greg Allen hit his first major league homer in the seventh.

Kluber (15-4) struck out 13 in seven innings. Yolmer Sanchez and Jose Abreu homered in the first for Chicago, but Kluber allowed only one more hit — a fifth-inning single for Omar Narvaez.

The right-hander retired 20 of his last 22 batters on his way to double-digit strikeouts for the 14th time this season and 38th of his career.

The Indians closed out an 11-0 road trip and begin a 10-game homestand Friday night against Baltimore. The reigning American League champions have outscored their opponents 109-28 during the win streak.

The Indians surpassed the 14-game winning streak they recorded last season. They are the first team to win at least 14 in a row in consecutive seasons since the 1935-36 Chicago Cubs.

PITCHING IN A PINCH

Third-string catcher Rob Brantly pitched the ninth inning for the White Sox. He allowed Gonzalez’s second homer. He was the first White Sox player whose primary position is catcher to pitch in a game, according to STATS LLC.

COUNTER MOVE

Indians manager Terry Francona changed his lineup when the White Sox pitching change was announced, installing the left-handed bats of outfielders Lonnie Chisenhall and Bradley Zimmer in place of Ben Guyer and Allen.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: 3B Yandy Diaz (left elbow contusion) departed after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning. … LHP Andrew Miller (right knee tendinitis) is expected to throw off the mound before the start of the series against the Orioles. … INF Jose Ramirez (sore wrist) was held out of the lineup. Francona said he might miss one more game, but the injury isn’t serious. … OF Jay Bruce (sore neck) was out of the lineup for the sixth straight game.

White Sox: RHP Jake Petricka (right elbow strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. … SS Tim Anderson (illness) was out of the lineup for the second straight game. … OF Willy Garc?a (concussion) was sent on a rehab assignment to Class A Kannapolis.

White Sox: Rookie RHP Lucas Giolito (2-1, 2.25 ERA) and Giants LHP Matt Moore (4-13, 5.42 ERA) will square off in the opener of a three-game series on Friday in Chicago. Giolito won his past two starts, allowing a total of one run and seven hits in 14 innings. Moore returns to the rotation after making his first relief appearance since 2011 on Sunday. He pitched two scoreless innings.

ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State are offering free football tickets to evacuees from Hurricane Irma.

Georgia Tech is offering free tickets Saturday to its home opener against Jacksonville State to families displaced by the storm. The offer is open to Florida residents and residents of Georgia and South Carolina counties under mandatory evacuation orders. A valid state-issued ID is needed and the offer is on a first-come basis.

Kennesaw State has made a similar offer to Florida residents for its Saturday night home game against Tennessee Tech.

On Thursday, the Braves announced they would offer free tickets to Florida residents and Georgia and South Carolina residents under evacuation orders for the four-game home series against the Miami Marlins. The series ends Sunday.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Hornets coach Steve Clifford emphatically threw his support behind Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on Friday, saying the often criticized small forward is a significant contributor and will continue to start.

The five-year NBA veteran has been widely criticized for his offensive deficiencies and his awkward looking jump shot, but Clifford insists the former No. 2 overall pick makes up for it with his defense and other intangibles. He expects Kidd-Gilchrist to develop into one of the top 10 defensive players in the league this year.

”I think he’s going to have a great year,” Clifford said.

Clifford knows Kidd-Gilchrist’s jump shooting is not his strength in an NBA game where spacing -and good shooting – is vital. Kidd-Gilchrist shot 47 percent from the field last season and only 11 percent from 3-point range.

But Clifford said spacing ”is not as important as being competitive, it’s not as important as character, and it’s not as important as just natural talent. He is a talented athlete, he has a feel for the game and he’s a tough guy who cares about the team.”

”We have enough offense with him on the floor that we can be fine offensively,” Clifford said. ”… It’s easy to look at guy who is not a range shooter and say he doesn’t belong in today’s NBA game. But if you can’t guard your guy in this league – and I’m talking about blow-by, being two small, not physical enough, not wanting to put any (effort) into it – you better be 28 or 29 (points per game) or it’s very difficult for your team to win.”

Clifford said Kidd-Gilchrist will start along with All-Star Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Marvin Williams and recently acquired Dwight Howard, He said last year’s starting center Cody Zeller will see extensive minutes off the bench.

Clifford is convinced that lineup and additional depth this year will allow the Hornets to be a playoff team, but wouldn’t put a cap on the team’s full potential.

But the fifth-year head coach said he’ll feel better about his team’s chances once they get two key reserves back on the basketball floor. He has concerns over the team’s depth at point guard with Michael Carter-Williams recovering from a knee procedure and rookie first-round draft pick Malik Monk battling an ankle injury.

Carter-Williams, a free agent pickup who is expected to backup Walker at the point, had what Clifford called a ”knee procedure” in August and hasn’t practiced since. Clifford isn’t sure if Carter-Williams will be completely healthy by the regular season opener.

Monk, the 11th pick in the NBA draft, is considered more of a shooter but Clifford is hoping he can play some point guard, too.

However, the team hasn’t been able to get a good look at Monk since he joined the team. Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer missed the entire NBA summer league following an ankle injury he sustained during pre-draft workouts. He recently tried to participate in two optional non-physically demanding workouts, but couldn’t finish them because of fatigue.

”His ankle injury was significant,” Clifford said. ”He wasn’t able to have anywhere near the summer that I hoped for or what he hoped for.”

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have signed kicker Giorgio Tavecchio to the practice squad as insurance in case Sebastian Janikowski can’t kick in the season opener.

Tavecchio traveled with the Raiders on Friday to Tennessee where they open their season against the Titans on Sunday.

Janikowski has been dealing with a back injury this week and is listed as questionable for the game. Tavecchio spent the exhibition season with the Raiders before being released last week.

The Raiders could choose to activate Tavecchio on Saturday if there are doubts about Janikowski’s availability. Tavecchio has never kicked in the NFL.

Defensive end Max Valles was released from the practice squad to make room for Tavecchio.

Fullback Jamize Olawale will miss the game with a quadriceps injury.

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More AP NFL: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Twins’ Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead runs off ailing Kansas City closer Kelvin Herrera with two outs in the ninth inning, and Minnesota rallied to beat the Royals 4-2 on Thursday night.

Herrera, who has been dealing with a mild forearm strain, inherited a 2-1 lead before giving up a pair of singles and a walk. Brian Dozier hit a tying sacrifice fly, and after Joe Mauer was walked intentionally, Polanco lined a single up the middle for the lead.

Trevor Hildenberger (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless eighth in relief of Twins starter Kyle Gibson, while Matt Belisle handled a perfect ninth to pick up his sixth save.

Herrera (3-3) squandered a solid night from Sam Gaviglio, who was recently claimed off waivers from the Mariners, and the rest of the Kansas City bullpen. Gaviglio allowed only a homer from Robbie Grossman and three other hits in five innings before a trio of relievers got the game to the ninth.

The loss was especially devastating for the roller-coaster Royals given their place in the crowded AL wild-card race. They began the night 2 1/2 games back of the Twins with 24 games to play.

Gaviglio and Gibson matched each other through four scoreless innings before Grossman took a 3-2 pitch from the Royals’ new starter into the bullpen in right field with one out in the fifth.

Alex Gordon singled in Alcides Escobar in the bottom half, and Whit Merrifield’s hard-hit single gave Kansas City a lead that would stand until the ninth.

Max Kepler started the Twins’ go-ahead rally with a single. Then, after Eduardo Escobar struck out, Jason Castro singled and Grossman walked to set up Dozier, whose fly ball to the wall tied the game.

Polanco followed with the eventual game-winning hit.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins 3B Miguel Sano (left shin) did light running but hit off a tee rather than taking batting practice after experiencing soreness. He has been on the DL retroactive to Aug. 20. ”We’ll see if he can get on the field (Friday),” manager Paul Molitor said.

Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was out of the lineup while dealing with a gallbladder issue. … LHP Danny Duffy (left elbow impingement) and RHP Joakim Soria (left oblique strain) threw off the mound. ”Both did OK,” manager Ned Yost said. ”They’re making progress.” … 3B Mike Moustakas was the DH to give his achy right knee a rest. ”He’s playable,” Yost said, ”or he wouldn’t be in there.”

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Ian Kennedy and Twins RHP Ervin Santana meet in a rematch of last Sunday, when neither factored into Kansas City’s 5-4 victory. Kennedy allowed four runs, two earned, in 5 2/3 innings while Santana yielded four runs in 6 2/3 innings.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cyle Larin and Giles Barnes scored first-half goals and Orlando City held on after having two men sent off late in the second half to beat D.C. United 2-1 on Saturday night.

Dom Dwyer set up the opening goal with a low hard cross in the 19th minute that Larin finished. Barnes made it 2-0 in the 28th minute, getting an open look after a defensive miscue left a loose ball at his feet.

Orlando City (9-12-7) went down to 10 men when Servando Carrasco was sent off for his second yellow card in the 79th minute. Kofi Opare pulled United (8-16-4) to 2-1 in the 89th minute.

Orlando’s Seb Hines received a straight red in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time and play continued into the 11th minute of stoppage time before Orlando ended its eight-game winless streak.

Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko weigh-in ahead of their fight at UFC 215

Diana Taurasi has had so many proud basketball moments in the state of Connecticut.

Sunday, the former UConn star has a chance to add another one.

Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, takes a 10-0 record in deciding league playoff games into the Mohegan Sun Arena when she and her Phoenix Mercury teammates visit the Connecticut Sun in the second round of the playoffs.

The fifth-seeded Mercury advanced with 79-69 victory over former UConn star Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm while the fourth-seeded Sun had a bye.

The winner of this game advances to a 3-of-5 semifinal against either the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx or the No. 2 Los Angeles Sparks.

The teams played three times in the regular season — the Sun winning both games in Uncasville, Conn. while the Mercury romped in the Sept. 1 game in Phoenix behind 31 points and eight rebounds from league scoring leader Brittney Griner.

She will be matched up in this game against Jonquel Jones, the league rebounding leader who was voted most improved player in the league.

“It’s a very tough matchup,” said Connecticut coach Curt Miller, the league’s coach of the year. “Phoenix made a concerted effort late in the year to play through Griner. She’s a unique player that no one in the league sees, so you have to plan for Brittney Griner.

“You have to have a contingent plan, and a contingent upon contingent plan when she starts to hurt you. When you have two of the most elite players the game has ever seen in Taurasi and Griner, it poses a lot of problems, but they’re not the only players that can hurt you.”

Jones broke the WNBA rebounding record — previously held by Tina Charles, then of the Sun, in 2010, finishing with 403 — and she tied the league record of 20 double-doubles.

“Jonquel Jones is going to be a problem in this league for a long time,” Taurasi said at this year’s All-Star Game. “With her stature and the way she can handle the ball, shoot the ball, and work so easy on the court, I just think she’s got a really bright future.”

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Sun, especially after losing star Chiney Ogwumike for the season before the year even started. But after a 1-5 start, Miller’s team got hot — especially at home, where it is 12-5.

The Mercury, 3-0 in single elimination games, finished the season 9-8 both home and on the road before winning their home playoff game.

The three-time WNBA champions (most recently in 2014) have a distinct experience edge in this game. While the Sun players have totaled 875 minutes and 302 points, Taurasi, a three-time champion, has 1,566 minutes and 1,009 points. She cleared the 1,000-point mark with her first basket of the second half of the first-round game.

Braves LIVE recaps Atlanta’s 5-4 win over Miami

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Lydia Ko shot an 8-under 64 on Friday to join Lexi Thompson atop the Women in Tech Championship leaderboard with one round left at Brickyard Crossing.

Winless in more than a year, the 20-year-old Ko had five straight birdies in the middle of her final nine before bogeying the par-4 eighth. Thompson followed her first-round 63 with a 66, scrambling for par on the final two holes to match Ko at 15-under 129.

Candie Kung was a stroke back after a 64.

Sandra Gal was tied with Kung at 14 under, then bogeyed the par-3 15th and hit two drives into the water on the par-4 16th en route to a 10. She finished with a 73 to drop eight strokes behind the leaders.

Sam Darnold finds Deontay Burnett who slips into the endzone for a 22-yard touchdown to give USC the lead.

From Super comeback to embarrassing collapse.

What a strange turnaround for the New England Patriots.

The mood was so festive at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night before the opening game of the season. Fans frolicked as they watched highlights of the Patriots’ Super Bowl rally to beat Atlanta. They rocked the house when the players came onto the field and the fifth championship banner was unveiled. They even talked about a 19-0 season.

A few hours later, the Patriots were 0-1.

Yes, they could wind up going 15-1. And it’s surely not a time to panic, particularly in the weak AFC East where it’s possible combining the best players from the Dolphins, Bills and Jets still wouldn’t present a roster capable of challenging the Patriots.

But a bunch of issues cropped up as Kansas City took apart New England in the second half for a 42-27 defeat that was among the worst the Patriots have experienced under Bill Belichick.

Just listen to what Tom Brady said after the offense was ineffective and the defense got torched, particularly on long plays.

”I just think we need to have more urgency and go out there and perform a lot better,” said the now-40-year-old quarterback and four-time Super Bowl MVP who looked anything but for much of the night. ”That is a winning attitude and a championship attitude that you need to bring every day. We had it handed to us on our own field.

”It’s a terrible feeling, and the only people that can do something about it are in that locker room. We’ve got to dig a lot deeper than we did tonight because we didn’t dig very deep tonight.”

That was shocking to hear. Mistakes rooted in bad decision making or inexperience, or even in a lack of enough talent are more acceptable than not having the proper mental approach. Of the criticisms sometimes leveled at the Patriots, being ill-prepared or lacking an edge rarely if ever has been one of them.

That might be the most dangerous aspect of the loss for New England.

Not surprisingly, Belichick offered far less insight into the loss than did Brady. He did, however, emphasize that only the here and now matters.

”I think I said it a thousand times. I think we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Belichick said Friday. ”I don’t think anything that we did really was good enough. I’m not really interested in living in the past, in 2014, 2015, 2003, 2004, which constantly keeps coming up. I mean, everything’s about some other year, but (it’s) this year and this team. I don’t really think all that’s relevant because we’re talking about another team, but we’ve got a thousand questions about it every week.

”So, I’m really concerned about the 2017 team, what this team is, what this team needs to do. I’m not trying to live in the past like everybody else is.”

OK, so looking to the future – meaning the next few games of this schedule: at New Orleans, home for Houston and Carolina, at Tampa Bay – here are some challenges facing the Patriots that all of those predictors of perfection might have overlooked.

TEAM SPEED – The Patriots have their share of roadrunners, but overall they aren’t a fast team. That problem surfaced in pass coverage as Alex Smith torched the secondary, and when Brady was throwing. And while the Chiefs have plenty of speed demons, there are other upcoming opponents who are faster.

NO BLOUNT WEAPON – Yes, Mike Gillislee scored on three short runs, the team’s only touchdowns against KC. But the Patriots also failed on four short-yardage situations, and it’s hard to project any of the current running backs coming close to the overall effectiveness LeGarrette Blount had on the ground before leaving for Philadelphia as a free agent this year.

PASS RUSH – DE Trey Flowers is a stud, but beyond him, New England really has to search to find someone who can make QBs nervous when they want to throw. That means defensive coordinator Matt Patricia must find ways to scheme around that deficiency.

Of course, there’s no DC in the league better at putting together confounding game plans than Patricia.

BRADY’S TARGETS – For now, after Brady lost his security blanket in Julian Edelman (season-ending knee injury), he isn’t as familiar with some of his wideouts as he would like to be. That figures to develop with Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen and maybe Phillip Dorsett, but those short routes that Edelman and Danny Amendola (now concussed) excel at weren’t available much vs. the Chiefs.

Also, Rob Gronkowski was hardly in peak form Thursday night.

Despite those issues, the idea that the Patriots no longer are the team to beat is absurd. Unless, of course, they keep performing the same way for much of the season, which is very unlikely with Brady on hand.

But there’s also no question that, at least in early September, they have lost that air of invincibility that many observers pinned on them.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Stanford's Keller Chryst connects for a 1-yd Touchdown pass to even the score

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Twins had seen the scenario that faced them Thursday night play out seemingly countless times over the past few weeks: They rally down the stretch only to come up short in the ninth.

The outcome was far different this time.

Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead runs off ailing Kansas City closer Kelvin Herrera with two outs in the ninth, and Minnesota rallied to beat the Royals 4-2 on Thursday night in a game that could have massive implications on the American League wild-card race.

”It was really good to see us get over the hump in one of these games. We’ve been putting pressure on to the last out,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. ”Guys put together some really nice at-bats.”

Herrera, who has been dealing with a mild forearm strain, inherited a 2-1 lead before giving up a pair of singles and a walk. Brian Dozier hit a tying sacrifice fly to the warning track, and after Joe Mauer was walked intentionally, Polanco lined a single up the middle for the lead.

Trevor Hildenberger (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless eighth in relief of Twins starter Kyle Gibson, while Matt Belisle handled a perfect ninth to pick up his sixth save.

”Any time you can go seven innings without striking anybody out, your defense is playing good,” Gibson said. ”And hats off to the offense. That’s why we won the game. The offense didn’t give up.”

Herrera (3-3) squandered a solid night from Sam Gaviglio, who was recently claimed off waivers from the Mariners, and the rest of the Kansas City bullpen. Gaviglio allowed only a homer from Robbie Grossman and three other hits in five innings before a trio of relievers got the game to the ninth.

”We had it lined up the way we wanted it to line up,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

The loss was especially devastating for the roller-coaster Royals given their place in the crowded AL wild-card race. They began the night 2 1/2 games back of the Twins with 24 games to play.

”That’s a tough loss right there in the last inning,” the Royals’ Alcides Escobar said. ”Just come back tomorrow, keep playing hard and win the series.”

Gaviglio and Gibson matched each other through four scoreless innings before Grossman drove a 3-2 pitch from the Royals’ new starter into the bullpen in right field with one out in the fifth.

Alex Gordon singled in Escobar in the bottom half, and Whit Merrifield’s hard-hit single gave Kansas City a lead that would stand until the ninth.

Max Kepler started the Twins’ go-ahead rally with a single. Then, after Eduardo Escobar struck out, Jason Castro singled and Grossman walked to set up Dozier, whose deep fly ball tied the game.

Polanco followed with the eventual game-winning hit.

”It was a pretty big game,” Yost acknowledged. ”It looked like we had everything lined up to win it but we just didn’t win it.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Twins are 10-6 against the Royals this season. They were 4-15 against them last season. … Herrera has not recorded a save since Aug. 16 at Oakland. … Gibson has a 1.69 ERA in his last four starts. … Mauer reached safely five times for the second time this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins 3B Miguel Sano (left shin) did light running but hit off a tee rather than taking batting practice after experiencing soreness. He has been on the DL retroactive to Aug. 20. ”We’ll see if he can get on the field (Friday),” Molitor said.

Royals 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was out of the lineup while dealing with a gallbladder issue. … LHP Danny Duffy (left elbow impingement) and RHP Joakim Soria (left oblique strain) threw off the mound. ”Both did OK,” Yost said. ”They’re making progress.” … 3B Mike Moustakas was the DH to give his achy right knee a rest. ”He’s playable,” Yost said, ”or he wouldn’t be in there.”

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Ian Kennedy and Twins RHP Ervin Santana meet in a rematch of last Sunday, when neither factored into Kansas City’s 5-4 victory. Kennedy allowed four runs, two earned, in 5 2/3 innings while Santana yielded four runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Stanford's Bryce Love goes 75-yards down the sideline for a touchdown to even the score at 7.

NEW YORK (AP) No matter his age, no matter his ranking and results, no matter his injuries, Kevin Anderson kept trying to improve, and now comes the payoff: his first Grand Slam final.

Taking full advantage of a depleted draw, Anderson became the lowest-ranked U.S. Open finalist since the ATP’s computer rankings began in 1973, getting to the title match by beating Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday.

Anderson was so excited that he celebrated his semifinal victory as if it made him the champion, stepping on a chair and then a flower box to help him climb into his guest box in the stands.

”I don’t know if it’s appropriate,” said Anderson, a 31-year-old South African who won an NCAA doubles title at the University of Illinois. ”It certainly felt the right thing to do.”

Hip, leg and elbow injuries caused him to miss time this season. Ankle surgery, plus left knee, right shoulder and groin injuries were problems last year.

He is appearing in his 34th major tournament. He is ranked 32nd, but was seeded 28th at Flushing Meadows, thanks to withdrawals by several top players, including past champions Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka.

”It’s nice that some of them gave us a bit of a shot to make a run in this tournament,” Anderson said.

He only once had been as far as the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament until this week, losing at that stage in New York two years ago. Before that, he had been 0-7 in fourth-rounders at majors.

The 6-foot-8 (2.03-meter) Anderson is a big server, but it was his success returning against the 12th-seeded Carreno Busta that was the key to this victory. After failing to get a break point in the opening set, Anderson generated 14 the rest of the way – and converted four, which was enough for the biggest victory of his career.

On Sunday, Anderson will play No. 1 Rafael Nadal or 24th-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, who eliminated Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.

Anderson has never beaten either: He is 0-4 against Nadal, 0-6 against del Potro.

Nadal vs. del Potro, scheduled for Friday night, was a rematch of a 2009 semifinal at Flushing Meadows won by del Potro en route to his only Grand Slam championship. That time, del Potro beat Nadal, then Federer; he was trying to reverse the order now.

Nadal has won the U.S. Open twice, in 2010 and 2013. He owns 15 major titles in all, second only to Federer’s 19.

Last year’s league rushing leader was already cleared to play in the opener against the New York Giants on Sunday night before the ruling by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.

Mazzant agreed with players’ union lawyers that Elliott didn’t receive a “fundamentally fair” hearing in his appeal and he granted the NFL Players’ Association request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking the league’s punishment.

Elliott was suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell in August after the league concluded he had several physical confrontations last summer with Tiffany Thompson, a former girlfriend. Prosecutors in Ohio didn’t pursue the case, citing conflicting evidence.

The 22-year-old Elliott denied Thompson’s allegations in sworn testimony during an appeal hearing last week. He also attended the hearing for a restraining order earlier this week in Sherman, about 65 miles north of Dallas.

Arbitrator Harold Henderson turned down Elliott’s appeal of the suspension the same day as the hearing in federal court. Henderson ruled that the NFL complied with its personal conduct policy in punishing Elliott and rejected any claims that Elliott’s attorneys presented new evidence at the appeal.

Mazzant ruled that Henderson’s decision not to allow Goodell and Thompson to testify helped Elliott’s case in meeting the standard for an injunction to be issued.

“Their absence effectively deprived Elliott of any chance to have a fundamentally fair hearing,” Mazzant wrote.

The union blasted NFL owners in its reaction to Mazzant’s ruling.

“Commissioner discipline will continue to be a distraction from our game for one reason: because NFL owners have refused to collectively bargain a fair and transparent process that exists in other sports,” the union said. “This `imposed’ system remains problematic for players and the game, but as the honest and honorable testimony of a few NFL employees recently revealed, it also demonstrates the continued lack of integrity within their own league office.”

After Henderson’s ruling, the NFL filed a lawsuit asking a federal court in New York to enforce Elliott’s suspension. The Southern District of New York falls under the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which last year backed Goodell’s four-game suspension of New England quarterback Tom Brady in the “Deflategate” case.

The union had sued in federal court on behalf of Elliott last week before Henderson ruled, saying the appeal hearing was “fundamentally unfair” because the running back was prevented from confronting his accuser in the Ohio case.

NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler reiterated most of the union’s arguments before Mazzant, who pressed league attorney Daniel Nash for answers on the claim from Elliott’s legal team that a co-lead investigator who questioned Thompson’s credibility was left out of a key meeting with Goodell during the yearlong probe.

According to the letter Elliott received informing him of the suspension last month, the NFL believed he used “physical force” three times in a span of five days in a Columbus, Ohio, apartment last July resulting in injuries to Thompson’s face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, wrists, hips and knees.

Prosecutors in Columbus decided about a year ago not to pursue the case in the city where Elliott starred for Ohio State, but the NFL kept the investigation open. The league said its conclusions were based on photographs, text messages and other electronic evidence.

The NFL stiffened penalties in domestic cases three years after the league was sharply criticized for its handling of the domestic case involving former Baltimore running back Ray Rice.

Elliott rushed for 1,631 yards as a rookie to help the Cowboys to the best record in the NFC at 13-3. He was a full practice participant throughout training camp but played in just one preseason game, same as a year ago when Elliott missed significant time at camp because of a hamstring injury.

PHOTOS: #23 TCU Horned Frogs dominate Arkansas Razorbacks on road

HOUSTON (AP) James Brown ran for 118 yards and had a 33-yard touchdown with 2:12 remaining to help Houston Baptist hold off crosstown rival Texas Southern 24-17 on Thursday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Brown’s score up the middle led to the Huskies’ 17th straight point of the second half. Texas Southern answered with a seven-play, 75-yard drive capped by Darvin Kidsy’s 9-yard touchdown grab with 23 seconds left.

Houston Baptist recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock with one play.

Bailey Zappe threw for 248 yards, and had two total touchdowns for Houston Baptist (1-1). He connected with Ethan Fry for a 60-yard touchdown pass to give the Huskies a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, and Zappe scored on a short run in the third for a 14-10 lead. Fry made three catches for 88 yards.

Jay Christophe passed for one touchdown and ran for another score for Texas Southern (0-2).

—

More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Matt Kenseth ran a fast lap at 122.421 mph Friday and won the pole at Richmond Raceway.

The pole for the race Saturday night is the 20th of Kenseth’s career and comes in the last race to make the 16-driver NASCAR playoffs that begin next week in Chicago. Kenseth is in a precarious spot in the standings. He will start the race 15th in playoff points, but without the victory that would guarantee him a playoff spot.

It also comes with his future uncertain. Joe Gibbs Racing decided not to renew his contract for next season, and Kenseth has not signed with any other team. He declined after qualifying, accompanied by his three young daughters, to discuss his plans or intentions.

Kenseth will start the race two points behind Chase Elliott and one point ahead of Jamie McMurray for the final three spots and, with 13 drivers winning races this season, that gives them the next three spots based on the point standings.

Denny Hamlin will start on the outside of the front row after a top speed of 122.277 mph, with Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson in the second row. Martin Truex Jr., who clinched the regular-season title last weekend at Darlington, and Kevin Harvick are in the third row, followed by Kyle Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Elliott and Erik Jones.

Kenseth said he was happy with his first two qualifying run, but unsure after the third round.

”I didn’t think I was going to have enough speed. I didn’t think I was fast enough,” Kenseth said.

Kenseth also started on the pole when the series visited the 0.75-mile oval in April, and led 164 laps before coming up short as Joey Logano won. But the 2003 series champion has been coming on strong of late after what he called a slow start to the season – he’s had four top five and two top 10 finishes in the last seven races.

”We’ve been up there in the mix. We just haven’t been able to get it to go our way,” he said.

Hamlin expects Elliott, Kenseth and McMurray to run close together on Saturday night.

”I suspect everyone will be bringing their best and then some,” he said, ”but ultimately, you got what you got and you can only do so much with it. I think they handle pressure fine. Matt’s in a good position.”

Jones earned the No. 10 starting spot despite being forced to sit out the first hour of happy hour practice because of infractions at Darlington Raceway.

Westbrook, a fourth-round draft pick from Oklahoma, led the NFL in receiving in the preseason and even played the finale after seeing a core muscle specialist in Philadelphia. The 2016 Heisman Trophy finalist and Biletnikoff Award winner caught 13 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in three exhibitions.

Pryor, the 18th overall pick by the New York Jets in 2014, has 191 tackles, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions in 44 games. The Jets traded Pryor to Cleveland in June.

The Jaguars also signed offensive lineman Josh Walker and released guard Earl Watford. Walker has appeared in 15 games with Houston and Green Bay. He also spent time with Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Lydia Ko shot an 8-under 64 on Friday to join Lexi Thompson atop the Women in Tech Championship leaderboard with one round left at Brickyard Crossing.

Winless in more than a year, the 20-year-old Ko had five straight birdies in the middle of her final nine before bogeying the par-4 eighth. Thompson followed her first-round 63 with a 66, scrambling for par on the final two holes to match Ko at 15-under 129.

Candie Kung was a stroke back after a 64.

Sandra Gal was tied with Kung at 14 under, then bogeyed the par-3 15th and hit two drives into the water on the par-4 16th en route to a 10. She finished with a 73 to drop eight strokes behind the leaders.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Kenny Hill was everywhere for TCU a year ago against Arkansas, accounting for nearly 500 total yards of offense in a crushing double-overtime loss to Arkansas.

This time around, the Horned Frogs quarterback happily took a back seat to his teammates on the other side of the ball.

Led by a defense that stifled its opponent for a second straight week, No. 23 TCU (2-0) made amends for its loss a year ago by earning a 28-7 win over the Razorbacks (1-1) on Saturday.

The Horned Frogs held Arkansas to 267 yards of total offense, a week after allowing only 65 yards in a 63-0 victory over Jackson State . They also controlled the time of possession with 195 yards rushing as a team, led by a career-high 106 on the ground from sophomore Darius Anderson.

All in all, it was a grinding Southeastern Conference-like win for TCU — which served notice to its Big 12 Conference counterparts in the process.

“It’s only two ballgames, but we’re really excited about where we’re at right now,” Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson said.

Anderson’s career day topped his previous rushing best of 103 yards in a victory over Texas last season, helping TCU win in Fayetteville for the first time since 1984 when both schools were in the Southwest Conference.

It was the collective effort of the Horned Frogs defense, however, that stole the show — while Hill was content to manage the rushing game and lead an offense that converted 10 of 14 third downs. Even in a secondary role, the senior still finished 21-of-31 passing and topped 200 yards of total offense in his third career game against Arkansas.

“We need to come out and score some more points, but (the defense) played unbelievable,” Hill said. “… We’ve got a long way to go, but that was a big win. I love it.”

The Horned Frogs had three sacks in the game, one each by Ridwan Issahaku, Ben Banogu and Corey Bethley.

It was its coverage that decimated Arkansas’ once-mighty passing attack, though. Only three Razorbacks wide receivers caught passes in the game and quarterback Austin Allen — who accounted for four touchdowns in last year’s win — finished 9 of 23 for 138 yards passing.

“Coach (Patterson) always tells us we don’t know how good we could be,” Banogu said. “I think today we really took the potential part and made it into something we could actually do.”

Arkansas has now lost three of its last four games to fall to 26-27 under fifth-year coach Bret Bielema.

“I wish I had words to describe the way I feel and the way our guys feel,” Bielema said. “… We’ve got to be the most-improved team in the country and get a lot better at the details.”

THE TAKEAWAY

TCU: The Horned Frogs had lost 31 of their last 34 games to Arkansas dating to 1959, and they felt as if they let a win slip away in Fort Worth last season . It looked like they might let the game get away once again on Saturday, particularly after a second-half fumble deep close to the goal line. However, the defense held time and again and TCU scored two touchdowns within 14 seconds of each other to put the game away in the fourth quarter — capped by Sewo Olonilua’s second score of the game.

“We came here not to think about last year, we came here to win,” Patterson said.

ARKANSAS: The list of concerns is substantial for the Razorbacks, from their struggles in the passing game to special teams. Allen was out of sync for much of Saturday and threw for a career low in yards as a starter, completing only 4 of 13 passes for 31 yards in the second half. Also, junior Cole Hedlund missed field goals of 23 and 20 yards and is 14 of 24 for his career.

UP NEXT

TCU: The Horned Frogs finish up their nonconference schedule by hosting SMU next week.

ARKANSAS: The Razorbacks have their lone off week of the season next week before returning against Texas A&M in AT&T Stadium on Sept. 23.

Valentina Shevchenko speaks with Megan Olivi ahead of her bout with Amanda Nunes at UFC 215.

PHOENIX (AP) Paul Goldschmidt was held out of Arizona’s lineup for the fifth game in a row Friday night even though he says he feels good and could play.

Instead, manager Torey Lovullo had Goldschmidt go through a normal pregame routine of batting and infield practice, then report back on how he feels.

Goldschmidt was sidelined when he felt stiffness in his right elbow. The Diamondbacks say an MRI showed no structural damage.

Lovullo said that depending on how Goldschmidt felt, he might be available to pinch hit.

The Diamondbacks have done just fine without their star first baseman. They have won a club-record 13 straight games going into Friday night’s game against San Diego.

Despite a strong six innings from Homer Bailey the Reds' offense fail to get anything going in the Big Apple.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) Major League Baseball has donated $10 million to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s endowment.

All 30 teams contributed to the Hall of Fame’s effort to raise money toward its goal of $30 million. The Hall has now raised $22 million.

Since it opened in 1939, the Hall of Fame has operated on a break-even basis without a significant endowment. It now has 40,000 artifacts, including bats, balls, gloves, uniforms, trophies, 135,000 baseball cards, 14,000 hours of recorded media, 250,000 historic photos and 3 million pieces in its library.

The goal is to make sure the collection is preserved for the future. The endowment also will help the Hall develop more world-class exhibits, take advantage of technology to increase access to its collections and extend the reach of its education programs.

Best in the CIF-SS: Demetrious Flowers, RB, St. John Bosco

The Chicago Fire may be missing one of their biggest stars as they host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger scored a game-winning goal in last Saturday’s 1-0 victory over the Montreal Impact, then left the field with what he described as a tight quad.

Schweinsteiger underwent treatments through the week but was still listed as questionable for Saturday as the Fire (13-9-5, 44 points) hope to maintain their hold on third place in the Eastern Conference.

The fifth-place Red Bulls (12-10-4, 40 points) are also still chasing a playoff berth and a victory would help their postseason positioning.

The victory in Montreal snapped a four-game losing streak. Chicago, which for a time was in a chase for the Eastern Conference lead, is 2-6-1 over its last nine games.

“Very important result, it’s been a long time since our last win,” Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said. “We were looking for a game like this. On the road, when it’s even more difficult, it helps to build spirit. Our job is now to work and keep our motivation high.”

The Red Bulls had a man advantage for 53 minutes and a lead into the 74th minute before settling for a 2-2 tie last Saturday at FC Dallas. It was their second consecutive draw.

New York has improved its road fortunes since starting 1-6 away from home. The Red Bulls are 3-2 with a tie over their last six road contests.

“I think in general our team feels good playing on the road now, we have gotten results recently and our team is in a good way because of that,” Jesse Marsch, the Red Bulls coach and former Fire star, said this week. “We know we are in for a really tough match, there is a lot of question marks as to who will be available for them so it does not make it the easiest to prepare for them.”

Saturday’s game features a reunion of Chicago midfielder Dax McCarty with his former Red Bulls teammates. The Fire acquired McCarthy in a January trade that included $400,000 in general allocation money.

Red Bulls are without midfielder Sean Davis, who was suspended for Saturday due to yellow card accumulation.

New York beat Chicago 2-1 in the season’s only other meeting on April 29. The Fire lead the all-time series 26-17 with 11 ties.

ATLANTA (AP) — Ender Inciarte’s bases-loaded walk from Kyle Barraclough with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 6-5 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday night.

Barraclough threw four straight balls to Inciarte. While Barraclough began his slow walk off the field, Inciarte was swarmed by his teammates in an impromptu celebration near first base.

The loss by Atlanta reduced the Washington Nationals’ magic number to clinch the NL East to two.

CIF-SS Alumni Watch: Travis Wilson, TE, LA Rams (San Clemente)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There were big plays all over the field. The Chiefs, not the Patriots, were making them.

Alex Smith threw two long touchdown passes and rookie Kareem Hunt, after fumbling on his first NFL carry, scored three times to help Kansas City stun New England 42-27 on Thursday night in the season opener.

Coming off their sensational Super Bowl rally to a fifth Lombardi Trophy, the Patriots faded badly in the second half. A raucous sold-out crowd of 65,878 celebrated the unveiling of yet another championship banner, and there was plenty of talk about Tom Brady leading them to a 19-0 record.

After Week 1, though, they are winless.

It was the first time the Patriots lost at Gillette Stadium when leading at halftime, a span of 82 games. They were no match for the Chiefs in the last two periods.

Tyreek Hill scored on a 75-yarder and Hunt put the Chiefs in front with a 78-yarder to punctuate Kansas City’s charge after trailing 17-14 at halftime. Hunt also had a 58-yard scamper and finished with 141 yards rushing and 98 receiving. Hill had 133 yards through the air, and Smith went 28 for 35 for 368 yards and four touchdowns.

Brady, the 13th quarterback to start an NFL game at age 40, didn’t look too spry. He struggled mightily in the second half and didn’t throw for a touchdown, finishing 16 for 36 for 267 yards.

Patriots newcomer Mike Gillislee scored on three short runs, becoming the first player since Terrell Owens of Philadelphia in 2004 to score three touchdowns in his debut with a new team.

And Kansas City aided the Patriots’ cause with 15 penalties for 139 yards. Yet, in the end, the Chiefs looked like world-beaters.

SHORT YARDAGE

New England failed twice in the first quarter on short-yardage runs, by Gillislee and Super Bowl hero James White, and again in the fourth period, by Gillislee. If anyone proclaimed the Patriots were missing RB LeGarrette Blount, who scored 18 TDs last season and was a beast in such situations, well, Gillislee, who came from Buffalo as a restricted free agent, ran in for a pair of 2-yard touchdowns and a 1-yarder.

ROGER, ROGER

Not only did the crowd revel in the video highlights from the Super Bowl, the fans booed vigorously when Commissioner Roger Goodell was shown talking on the sideline Chiefs owner Clark Hunt during warmups. A website distributed thousands of towels featuring Goodell’s face adorned with a clown nose, and many fans also had T-shirts with the caricature. Goodell watched the game from a suite, but not with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

INJURIES

Kansas City’s star safety Eric Berry was carted off with 4:56 remaining with an undisclosed injury.

The Patriots lost perhaps their best defensive player, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, in the third quarter with a knee injury. His absence showed on Hunt’s long TD reception. … WR Danny Amendola left in the fourth quarter with a head injury. He’s projected as New England’s slot receiver with Julian Edelman out for the season.

UP NEXT

Chiefs: Host Philadelphia on Sept. 17.

Patriots: Visit New Orleans on Sept. 17.

The Captain joins Al and Jensen.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Chris Warren III ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns and freshman Sam Ehlinger got his first career start at quarterback as Texas beat San Jose State 56-0 Saturday to give coach Tom Herman his first win with the Longhorns.

Ehlinger started in place of injured Shane Buechele and passed for 222 yards. Jerrod Heard, a wide receiver and former starting quarterback, rotated with Ehlinger several times and scored on runs of 9 and 3 yards in the first half.

“Our guys flew around, they cut it loose, they played with confidence and swagger,” Herman said.

Warren’s first touchdown came on a 41-yard burst off a direct snap in the second quarter. Defensive back Holton Hill scored his third touchdown in two games with an interception return for a score in the third.

The victory was a crucial turnaround for the Longhorns (1-1), who lost Herman’s debut at home to Maryland a week earlier. After giving up 51 points in that loss, the Texas defense got its first shutout since 2014 and first at home since 2012.

“We played a lot harder this week. We played for each other,” Warren said. “I like what I saw from Sam. I’m proud of the kid.”

THE TAKEAWAY

SAN JOSE STATE: The Spartans (1-2) were overmatched, particularly at the line of scrimmage. The 250-pound Warren smashed through tackles and even hurdled over one for a first down in the first half. Freshman quarterback Montel Aaron also was victimized by several dropped passes in a game.

TEXAS: Herman likes to call Ehlinger an “alpha” and the freshman’s burst with his legs gives the Texas offense a new wrinkle that’s missing with Buechele. Ehlinger’s passing has room for growth as he was 15-of-27 with several misfires and drops. All of it means Texas will face new quarterback questions about who to start — assuming Buechele is healthy enough to return — when the Longhorns next face Southern California.

“Sam played good for that being his first collegiate start. I thought he was very poised in the pocket,” Herman said, adding it would be premature to predict whether Buechele will be healthy enough to return next week.

UP NEXT

TEXAS: travels to play Southern California on Sept. 16

SAN JOSE STATE: plays at Utah on Sept. 16Warren and Ehlinger lead Texas 56-0 win over San Jose State

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) South Alabama quarterback Cole Garvin injured his right ankle on the opening series against No. 11 Oklahoma State.

Garvin went to the medical tent after the first series Friday night, when he was sacked on first down and was forced to run the ball on third.

Shortly after, he was taken toward the Jaguars’ locker room on a cart.

Dallas Davis replaced him on South Alabama’s second series. Davis started 10 games last season then missed spring practice while recovering from shoulder surgery.

He led the Sun Belt Conference in total offense last season and was second in passing yards per game. Garvin won the starting job in preseason camp.

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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Montero overcame five walks to win his third straight start, Kevin Plawecki hit a two-run homer and the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on Saturday night.

After losing five of six, the Mets have won four straight for the first time since July 19-22.

Cincinnati’s third consecutive defeat ensured its fourth losing season in a row and 14th in 17 years.

Montero (5-9) was lifted with a 2-1 lead after throwing 97 pitches, weaving in and out of trouble over five innings. The right-hander entered 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in his previous five starts.

Cincinnati took a 1-0 lead in the second on Scott Schebler’s sacrifice fly, but Montero limited the damage by escaping a bases-loaded jam.

Plawecki’s two-out homer to left field in the bottom half off Homer Bailey (4-8) put the Mets ahead.

Montero faced another jam in the third before striking out Schebler looking with runners on first and second to end the threat.

The Reds once again threatened in the fourth, putting runners on second and third with two outs, but Montero wiggled out of trouble by getting All-Star shortstop Zack Cozart to fly out to the warning track in left.

The Mets increased the lead to 3-1 on rookie Dominic Smith’s two-out, run-scoring single in the sixth.

The following inning, New York chased Bailey after the right-hander hit Matt Reynolds with a pitch and walked pitcher Jacob deGrom, who was pinch-hitting.

Nori Aoki’s two-run single off Michael Lorenzen made it 5-1, and Asdrubal Cabrera’s RBI double increased it to 6-1. Schebler prevented further damage with a diving catch in center.

Bailey allowed five runs and six hits in six-plus innings.

FIRST TIME

Mets rookie Phillip Evans got his first major league hit with a pinch-hit double in the fifth. Evans debuted Friday and lined out in his first at-bat. The 24-year-old was called up after hitting .279 with 11 homers and 56 RBIs for Triple-A Las Vegas this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RF Jesse Winker (strained left hip flexor) ran the bases. The 24-year-old Winker, who got injured Aug. 24 while running out a grounder, was hitting .310 since his promotion to the majors Aug. 1.

Mets: SS Amed Rosario (bruised right index finger) was held out of the lineup for a sixth straight game, although the inflammation has subsided. The 22-year-old rookie bruised his finger while swinging a bat last Saturday in Houston. He took batting practice before Saturday’s game, and manager Terry Collins hopes to have Rosario back Sunday. “We’re just going to give him that one more day to make sure,” Collins said. “We’re going to see how he hits. Make sure the finger doesn’t swell back up.” . RHP Noah Syndergaard (torn right lat muscle) will throw 50 pitches in a simulated game Sunday. Syndergaard has been out since May 1. He pitched two innings Thursday in a rehab start with Class A Brooklyn.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Sal Romano (4-6, 4.62 ERA) starts the series finale Sunday against the Mets. Romano, who is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last four starts, came away with the win Aug. 29 against New York, allowing three runs in six innings.

Mets: deGrom (14-9, 3.65) looks to surpass his career high for wins set in 2015. The Mets’ ace is coming off a poor start Tuesday against Philadelphia in which he lasted a season-low 3 2/3 innings and gave up a career-high nine runs, six earned, in the loss.

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) A boxer who became a politician and the longest-serving state auditor in Massachusetts history has died. Joe DeNucci was 78.

DeNucci had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died Friday at his home in Newton. His death was confirmed by the Andrew J. Magni & Son Funeral Home.

DeNucci was a successful boxer in his younger days before turning to the equally rough-and-tumble world of state politics. The Democrat served as a state representative and later held the office of state auditor for 24 years.

Throughout his political career he promised supporters he was in their corner and said he was honored by the trust they placed in him.

DeNucci didn’t run for re-election in 2010. The next year top state elected officials including Democratic Gov. Deval (deh-VAL’) Patrick gathered at the Statehouse to honor him.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Brandon Nimmo homered twice, Juan Lagares added a solo shot and the New York Mets beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-2 on Thursday night.

New York has won three of four and ended the Reds’ three-game winning streak to open a four-game series.

Hitting in the cleanup spot, Nimmo ripped an opposite-field drive off reliever Tim Adleman in the fifth inning that touched just above the orange line on the left-field wall for a home run.

Lagares followed with a liner that traveled a bit farther into the seats, giving the Mets a 5-2 lead on their 201st homer of the year — the second highest total in club history (218 in 2016).

The next inning, Nimmo hit Alejandro Chacin’s 2-2 offering out to center field to extend New York’s advantage to 7-2.

Nimmo led off the second inning with a double that careened off Scott Schebler’s glove in the right-field corner, advancing to third on a groundout and scoring on Dominic Smith’s RBI single.

Matt Harvey was ineffective early but regrouped for the win, allowing two runs and five hits in five innings.

Harvey (5-4) remained undefeated against Cincinnati, improving to 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA in six starts.

Tyler Mahle (0-2) struggled in his third major league start, giving up three runs, six hits and four walks in four innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: CF Billy Hamilton (broken left thumb) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. The major league stolen bases leader was hurt attempting to bunt in the first inning of Wednesday’s game against Milwaukee.

Mets: INF Wilmer Flores (broken nose) was re-examined Thursday and shut down for the season. … INF/OF T.J. Rivera (partial tear in right elbow) will have Tommy John surgery next week. … RHP Noah Syndergaard (torn right lat) made a rehab start with Class A Brooklyn on Thursday, allowing three runs and three hits in two innings. He threw 36 pitches, 25 for strikes. … SS Amed Rosario (bruised right index finger) missed his fourth straight game. … 3B David Wright will begin range of motion exercises shortly after having surgery on his right rotator cuff on Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Reds: LHP Amir Garrett (3-6, 7.41 ERA) will start Friday night in place of RHP Sal Romano, who was pushed back to Sunday because of a cut on his right index finger. Garrett played college basketball at nearby St. John’s.

Mets: RHP Seth Lugo (5-4, 5.00 ERA) tries to win for the first time since July 25.

Scary moment for the @RaysBaseball, as Steven Souza Jr. has to helped off the field after crashing into the wall in foul territory in right. pic.twitter.com/NicgIyAAyq

— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) September 9, 2017

Souza was tracking a fly ball hit by Boston’s Christian Vazquez in the fourth inning. The ball dropped just out of Souza’s grasp, and he slammed into the wall as he fielded the hop. Souza managed to throw the ball back to the infield before collapsing in pain. He limped as he was helped off the field by trainers following a delay of several minutes.

Peter Bourjos entered as a defensive replacement for Souza, who was 0 for 2 with two strikeouts.

Souza is hitting .246 with 29 home runs and 14 stolen bases this season.

BOSTON (AP) — Chris Sale struck out eight over six innings and Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run homer in the first to get Boston’s offense off to a fast start, carrying the Red Sox to a 9-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.

It was the fourth consecutive win for the AL East-leading Red Sox, who remained 4 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Yankees.

Andrew Benintendi had three hits and three RBIs and Mitch Moreland drove in three for Boston.

Tampa Bay lost its third in a row, and has allowed nine runs or more in each game. The Rays entered the day 4 1/2 games behind the AL’s second wild-card spot.

Danny Espinosa had three singles for the Rays.

Sale (16-7) allowed six singles, walked two and increased his major-league leading strikeout total to 278. He lowered his ERA to 2.76.

Carson Smith, Heath Hembree and Blaine Boyer each worked an inning of relief.

Matt Andriese (5-3) got just five outs, giving up eight runs — six earned — and seven hits for the Rays.

For the second straight night, the Red Sox took control early, putting this one away by scoring three in the first and five in the second.

Boston won the series opener on Friday, 9-3.

Pedroia homered into the first row of Green Monster seats after Eduardo Nunez singled, making it 2-0. Moreland’s groundout scored the other run.

In the second, Benintendi had a two-run double off the Monster, lefty hitter Moreland a two-run single after Mookie Betts, a right-handed batter, was intentionally walked by righty Andriese, and the fifth run scored on third baseman Evan Longoria’s throwing error.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: OF Steven Sousa Jr. was out after leaving Friday’s game with a bruised left knee he sustained running into a side wall along the right-field line.

Red Sox: INF Nunez limped out of the game after beating out an infield hit with a bruised right knee. He returned to the lineup after missing Friday’s game with minor back spasms, then singled in his first at-bat, stole second but got up gingerly after a headfirst slide. . LHP David Price (left elbow inflammation) threw two simulated innings. “A good step obviously in his progression to game activity,” manager John Farrell said.

GOOD RUN

Sale had struck out 12 or more each of the four times he faced the Rays this season. No pitcher had fanned 12 or more in five straight against a team in the last 100 years.

Bob Gibson, Nolan Ryan, Sam McDowell, and Randy Johnson (twice) are the only others to do it four straight against a team.

NICE ANNIVERSARY

Pedroia’s first career homer came 11 years ago, also going over the Monster.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (10-9, 3.64 ERA) is set to start the series finale Sunday. The Boston-born righty, a big Red Sox fan until he signed with the Rays in 2006, is 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA in his career in Fenway Park.

Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (9-16, 4.67) is in line to start. He’s 1-2 in his last three with a 6.48 ERA.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) A congratulatory letter from Willie Mays and a video tribute including a request from George Brett were part of a pregame ceremony in which the Texas Rangers recognized Adrian Beltre for joining the 3,000-hit club.

The ceremony Friday night before the series opener against the New York Yankees included the reading of a letter from Mays that started, ”This is Willie here. Welcome to the club.” Mays wrote that he knows it’s not an easy accomplishment and told Beltre to ”keep at it” because everybody loves to watch him hit.

A video shown during the ceremony included Brett, Pedro Martinez, Paul Molitor, David Ortiz, Robinson Cano, Felix Hernandez and Nelson Cruz congratulating Beltre on become the 31st player, and first from the Dominican Republic, to get 3,000 hits.

”When you get 3,153 (hits), retire, and five years after you retire, I will see you in Cooperstown,” said Brett, a Hall of Famer whose 3,154 hits are the most by a third baseman.

Beltre got his 3,000th hit with a double July 30 at home against Baltimore. The third baseman has 3,035 career hits, though he hasn’t played since straining his left hamstring Aug. 31 and could miss the rest of the regular season for wild card-hopeful Texas.

The Rangers presented Beltre with an ATV that was driven on the field by teammate Elvis Andrus, and one of the bases from the July 30 game that was signed by the entire team. There was also a proclamation from Arlington’s mayor declaring ”Adrian Beltre Day” and a plaque presented on behalf of the Dominican Republic recognizing him for his achievements.

”When you have 3,000 hits every day is Adrian Beltre day,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said when addressing the crowd.

Hear what Denny Hamlin had to say about the massive penalty he received from NASCAR that encumbered both of his wins at Darlington.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dexter Fowler struck out against Brad Hand with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, capping the San Diego Padres’ 3-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.

Hand allowed singles by Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Carson Kelly to load the bases in the ninth inning before getting Fowler to whiff on a slider in the dirt. Hand got his 16th save.

Jose Pirela had a run-scoring infield single in the first inning, and that was all the cushion Clayton Richard (7-13) and relievers Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates and Hand needed. Richard got 11 groundball outs while allowing five hits and striking out five in six innings.

Wil Myers added his 25th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the seventh.

After Stammen struck out two in the seventh, Greg Garcia and pinch-hitter Breyvic Valera singled, with Valera’s being his first in the majors. Manuel Margot then made a running catch on pinch-hitter Tommy Pham’s sinking line drive in center.

Lance Lynn (10-7) tiptoed around trouble in the first, allowing a run on three infield hits, an error by Alex Mejia and a walk. Pirela’s slow roller to third scored Margot after he opened the inning with a hit.

Lynn lasted through the sixth, giving up six hits and three walks, with three strikeouts on 118 pitches.

It was the second straight start the Cardinals failed to support Lynn. He pitched eight scoreless innings for the first time in three years but didn’t prevail against the San Francisco Giants last week.

The Cardinals got a rare runner in scoring position when Paul DeJong doubled in the first. He didn’t advance, though, and Richard induced double plays in the second and fourth innings. That gave Richard 27 groundball double plays, tying teammate Luis Perdomo for the most in the NL.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: 2B Kolten Wong (sore back) is expected to return this weekend. … 3B Matt Carpenter (right shoulder strain) should be back in the lineup Friday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Luke Weaver (4-1, 2.50) faces the Pirates as St. Louis kicks off a six-game homestand. Weaver is one of five rookies to have double-digit strikeout games this season. His 90 strikeouts through his first 17 career games are the most ever by a Cardinal.

Padres: RHP Jordan Lyles (0-2, 6.71) is making his second start of the season and his first on the road. He tossed a season-high 4 1/3 innings in his Padres debut last week, getting a no-decision after allowing two runs on six hits to the Dodgers.

After dropping their past two games at home, the Montreal Impact will need find points on the road if they are going to make the MLS postseason.

The Impact play five of their eight remaining games on the road, including on Saturday against the New England Revolution in Foxborough, Mass.

Montreal (10-10-6) is tied with Atlanta United for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but Atlanta holds the current tiebreaker based on goal differential.

The Impact lead the eighth-place Revolution (9-12-5) by four points in the standings.

“I see a lot of similarities with the last couple of seasons with this group, and when we’ve had our backs to the wall, we’ve been able to come through,” coach Mauro Biello said Friday, according to the Montreal Gazette. “That’s a positive.

“We’re in a race, and we have to outperform the teams that are in front of us.”

New England, 9-2-2 at Gillette Stadium this season, is coming off a 4-0 home win over Orlando City.

In the win on Saturday, Kei Kamara recorded a hat trick — the first of his career — for the Revolution, and Lee Nguyen became the first MLS player to record four assists in a game.

“Kei is there to score goals and he did his job tonight; we didn’t,” Orlando City’s Giles Barnes said after the game.

New England is the sixth different team for which Kamara has played in his 11 MLS seasons.

“I’m 33. I think it came at the right time — it just had to be a few threes in your age before you can get that,” Kamara told MLSSoccer.com. “It’s a relief as a striker. It was just one of those days where I felt good in warm-ups. I think I was scoring from the warm-up … every ball was just going into the back of the net. I was like, ‘Wow, this just feels like a special day today.'”

Added Nguyen: “”A good night for the boys in blue, huh? But no, it was a team effort, honestly. Any time we keep a clean-sheet, it’s going to give us a chance. Credit to all the guys for putting in the shift.”

The Revolution, who are winless in 13 road matches, have now won four straight at home.

“It’s just the dynamic in this league — teams have an edge at home in terms of travel, stadiums, fan base,” Biello said. “All that comes into play.

“But there are some teams that have had success and we need to be that team that’s capable of winning on the road. We’ve shown we can do it in the past and we need to try to do it now down the stretch.”

The Impact are 2-5-5 away from home this season and have dates at first-place Toronto FC and Colorado, where altitude is often an issue for visitors.

Next up, however, is a home match against Minnesota United on Sept. 16.

New England plays at Atlanta United on Wednesday.

A look at what’s happening all around the majors Saturday:

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GOOD SEATS AVAILABLE

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. at www.Mets.com/Irma and the Citi Field box office for next week’s Yankees-Rays series, moved from St. Petersburg, Florida, to the Mets’ home ballpark in New York due to Hurricane Irma. Field Level reserved seating will be $25, with no purchase fees. Major League Baseball considered other neutral sites, like Baltimore and Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, but hotel availability was limited in both cities, and in New York only the Rays need lodging. It was the Rays who opened their stadium to Houston and Texas after Hurricane Harvey. Now, they’ll be guests of the Mets as the home team in the series. That means the Yankees – who are 2-0 at Citi Field this year, part of their four-game season sweep of the Mets – will again be the visiting team in their own city. Meanwhile, the Mets will be in Chicago to play the Cubs.

GOOD AS GOLD

Diamondbacks star Paul Goldschmidt was held out of the starting lineup Friday for the fifth straight day because of stiffness in his right elbow. The first baseman says he thinks he could play – he was hitting .314 with 33 home runs and 109 RBIs. Arizona is in firm control of the top NL wild-card spot and had won 13 in a row going into the start of a weekend series vs. the visiting Padres.

SALE’S PITCH

AL Cy Young Award candidate Chris Sale (15-7, 2.85 ERA) can polish his resume when Boston hosts Tampa Bay. The lanky lefty is a favorite to win his first prize as the AL’s best pitcher, but he has struggled recently, going 1-3 with a 5.48 ERA over his past four starts, including a pair of losses to the rival Yankees. He’s still piling up the strikeouts, though, and is four shy of matching his career best of 274.

PAIR OF 10s

Luis Severino and Andrew Cashner go head-to-head in a 12:05 p.m. local start at Texas following a night game in the series opener between the Yankees and Rangers. Severino (12-6) has allowed no more than one earned run in eight of his last 10 starts, going 7-2 with a 2.15 ERA during that span for New York. Cashner (9-9) is 6-2 with a 2.62 ERA in his past 10 starts for Texas.

JJ IS OK

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy is off the disabled list after missing nearly three months because of a broken right wrist. He was activated from the 60-day disabled list Friday but didn’t start at Cleveland. Hardy is batting .211 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 64 games this season. Tim Beckham, acquired from Tampa Bay at the July 31 trade deadline, has taken over at shortstop and went into the weekend hitting .359 with seven homers and 20 RBIs since the deal.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

In the most dissected aspect of Clemson's national title defense, Kelly Bryant is proving more than a serviceable facsimile of Deshaun Watson, the most decorated player in school history.

But there's little argument that it's the nation's third-raked team defense, which racked up a whopping eight sacks on No. 13 Auburn's Jarrett Stidham -- the most in a single game for the Tigers of the Howard's Rock variety since 2004 -- is the biggest reason it was a 14-6 winner Saturday night in Death Valley and a College Football Playoff threat again.

Which makes what comes next so enticing.

The ACC's rep against the SEC is salvaged after Clemson held Auburn to a mere 117 yards, including 38 on the ground. In the box score ,that went a long way to negating running back Kamryn Pettway's 74 yards, and the Tigers of the Plain's only damage on the scoreboard was two Daniel Carlson's field goals.

Now, Clemson turns its attention to Atlantic Division rival No. 17 Louisville and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, who is off to another mind-boggling start.

With 525 yards, 393 of which came through the air, and six touchdowns in a 47-28 road win over North Carolina, Jackson has just five less yards (1,010) through two games than he had in claiming the Cardinals' first Heisman as a sophomore.

Clemson with ends like Austin Bryan (four sacks vs. Auburn), Christian Wilkins (five tackles, 1 1/2 sacks) and Co. isn't Purdue -- which gave up 396 yards to Ohio -- or the winless Tar Heels. But on the flip side, many of these Tigers were on the field last year when Jackson had 457 yards and three scores in Clemson's 42-36 survival at home.

That could make the play of Bryant, who threw for 181 yards and ran for 59 and two scores vs. Auburn, all that more crucial for Clemson to get out of Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium. Given the way Louisville's rebuilt defense, which has allowed 344 to the Boilermakers and another 401 Saturday in Chapel Hill, he could well deliver.

Jeremy BrevardJeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Angels Weekly: Meet the new additions to the team

BOSTON (AP) Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr. left a game Friday night after colliding with the right-field wall at Fenway Park.

Souza was tracking a fly ball hit by Boston’s Christian Vazquez in the fourth inning. The ball dropped just out of Souza’s grasp, and he slammed into the wall as he fielded the hop. Souza managed to throw the ball back to the infield before collapsing in pain. He limped as he was helped off the field by trainers following a delay of several minutes.

Peter Bourjos entered as a defensive replacement for Souza, who was 0 for 2 with two strikeouts.

Souza is hitting .246 with 29 home runs and 14 stolen bases this season.

MINNEAPOLIS — Ethan Finlay tied it late in the first half and Minnesota United and the Philadelphia Union played to a 1-1 draw Saturday night.

Finlay, who was making his home debut for Minnesota (7-14-5), scored in the 40th minute, pouncing on a loose ball after Andre Blake saved a pair or United attempts.

C.J. Sapong opened the scoring in the fifth minute for the Union (8-12-8), finishing a wide cross by Fabrice-Jean Picault that skirted behind the entire Minnesota back line.

SAN DIEGO (AP) Dexter Fowler struck out against Brad Hand with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, capping the San Diego Padres’ 3-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night.

Hand allowed singles by Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Carson Kelly to load the bases in the ninth inning before getting Fowler to whiff on a slider in the dirt. Hand got his 16th save.

Jose Pirela had a run-scoring infield single in the first inning, and that was all the cushion Clayton Richard (7-13) and relievers Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates and Hand needed. Richard got 11 groundball outs while allowing five hits and striking out five in six innings.

Wil Myers added his 25th homer of the season, a two-run shot in the seventh.

After Stammen struck out two in the seventh, Greg Garcia and pinch-hitter Breyvic Valera singled, with Valera’s being his first in the majors. Manuel Margot then made a running catch on pinch-hitter Tommy Pham’s sinking line drive in center.

Lance Lynn (10-7) tiptoed around trouble in the first, allowing a run on three infield hits, an error by Alex Mejia and a walk. Pirela’s slow roller to third scored Margot after he opened the inning with a hit.

Lynn lasted through the sixth, giving up six hits and three walks, with three strikeouts on 118 pitches.

It was the second straight start the Cardinals failed to support Lynn. He pitched eight scoreless innings for the first time in three years but didn’t prevail against the San Francisco Giants last week.

The Cardinals got a rare runner in scoring position when Paul DeJong doubled in the first. He didn’t advance, though, and Richard induce